


The Nightmare Games

by PaoshiroHozomi



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-08
Updated: 2014-12-09
Packaged: 2018-02-28 14:47:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 36,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2736515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaoshiroHozomi/pseuds/PaoshiroHozomi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Winning means Fame and Fortune Losing means certain Death The Nightmare Games have begun." Jack just wants to protect his sister. Hiccup had no idea how to deal with this But neither of them have a say in this matter. Except things lie in a scale of love It was no longer about survival It was about living for something. They can't do everything. But they'll do what they can.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Reaping

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Hunger games is owned by Suzanne Collins. Characters are either owned by Rise of the Guardians/Dreamworks, How to train your Dragon/Dreamworks, and other animations. I own nothing.
> 
> Jackson - Katniss
> 
> Emma - Prim
> 
> Mrs. Overland - Mrs. Everdeen
> 
> Mr. Overland - Mr. Everdeen
> 
> Jamie - Gale
> 
> Stoick - Mr. Mellarck
> 
> Toothiana - Effie Trinket
> 
> Gothi - Greasy Sae
> 
> Hiccup - Peeta
> 
> Toothless - Mockingjay
> 
> Snoutlout - One of Peeta's brothers that never really made an appearance in either movie(at least, part one, haven't watched two yet) or book
> 
> Valka - Mrs. Mellarck
> 
> Heather - Madge
> 
> Aster - Haymitch
> 
> Burgess - Panem
> 
> Berk - The Capitol
> 
> Guardians - Peacekeepers

** The Reaping **

"AHHH!"

"Emma, shh, shh, hush, it was just a dream..."

"It was me... Jack, it was my name...*sob sob*"

"No, it wasn't you. Just a bad dream, Ems. You're okay, I got you. You only got one name

in there, no way are they gonna pick you, let's go back to sleep..."

"Will you sing that song for me?"

"Sure Ems...

_Deep in the meadow. Under the willow._

_A bed of grass. A soft green pillow._

_Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes._

_And when again they open, the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm._

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm._

_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true._

_Here is the place where I love you._

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away._

_A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray_

_Forget your woes and let your troubles lay_

_And when again it's morning, they'll wash away._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm._

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm._

_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true._

_Here is the place where I love you._

~o~

When Jack woke up again, the other side of the bed is cold. He stretches out, seeking Emma's warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the matress.

_She must have had bad dreams again and climbed in with mom..._

And Jack wouldn't doubt it at all, it was the day of reaping, and his little sister's first year of having her name placed. As if Jack would ever have her sign up, it's just too bad it was mandatory when they reached twelve years old.

Jack props himself up on one elbow. There's enough light in the bedroom to see them; His little sister's, Emma, curled up on her side, cocooned in Mrs. Overland's body, their cheeks pressed together. In sleep, their mother looks younger, still worn but not so beaten-down. Emma's face is as fresh as a raindrop, as lovely as any flower. Their mother was very beautiful once, too. Or so everyone tells Jack.

He only believes it when he looks at Emma, who they also say looks like her. And he'd have to agree. More than him, anyway, and gender doesn't really have much to do with it.

Sitting at Emma's knees, guarding her, is the world's ugliest cat. (Jack's opinion. Even if he did get it for her. He was probably right.) Mashed-in nose, half of one ear missing, eyes the color of rotting squash. Emma named him Buttercup, insisting that his muddy yellow coat matched the bright flower. Jack was never fond of it, and they argued about it once.

_He hates me._

_No he doesn't. You bought him._

_For you. He still thinks I'm gonna cook him without you guarding it..._

It was probably true, too. Scrawny kitten, belly swollen with worms, crawling with fleas... (But Jack had it cleaned when he was gonna cook it) Jack still remembers how he tried to drown him after he brought it home to cook for his sister's birthday dinner, until she begged her brother if she could keep it, and he let her somewhat reluctantly. The last thing the older Overland sibling needed was an extra mouth to feed. But Emma begged so hard, cried even, he had to give it to her.

_It made her happy at least..._

Mrs. Overland didn't care eitherway. She rarely did anymore.

It turned out okay. Mrs. Overland cleaned him off from any vermin every now and then, and he's a born mouser. It even catches the occasional rat. Sometimes, when Jack cleans a kill, he feeds the cat the entrails. It stopped hissing at him as much since then, and it were the only times they tag teamed.

_Entrails. No hissing. This is the closest we will ever come to love._

Jack swing his legs off the bed. He pulls on trousers, a white long-sleeved shirt, a cape-cloak thing over his shoulders, and made to grab his forage bag. He usually prefers going barefoot, but they keep the supple leathered hunting boots as remembrance their father. On the table, under a wooden bowl to protect from hungry rats and cats alike, sits a perfect little goat cheese wrapped in basil leaves. Emma's gift to Jack for ever reaping day. Buttercup wakes and hisses at Jack, seeing the cheese. The boy merely narrows his eyes at the creature his sister calls a pet.

"I'll still cook you."

Another hiss.

He puts the cheese carefully in his pocket as he slip outside.

Their part of District 12, named the Seam, is usually with ice makers, carvers, gatherers and the like. They're at the very coldest part of the country so they get snow even at summer. It was autumn now. There's an underground lake in a mine and that's where the people are heading out to the morning shift at this hour. Men and women with hunched shoulders, swollen knuckles, many who have long since numbed out from all the frost and ice, the lines of their sunken faces. But today the dirt-covered snow streets are empty. Shutters on the squat gray houses are closed. The reaping isn't until two. If anyone could sleep in, they can.

The Overland home is almost at the edge of the Seam. Jack only has to pass a few gates to reach the scruffy field called the Meadow. Separating the meadow from the woods, in fact enclosing all of District 12, is a high chain-link fence topped with barbed-wire loops. In theory, it's suppose to be electrified twenty-four hours a day as a deterrent to the predators that live in the woods-packs of wild dogs, lone cougars, bears, even dragons that lose their will to fly-that used to threaten our streets so they don't go out here for their livelihood. But since they get only two or three hours of electricity in the evenings, it's usually safe to touch till then. Even so, Jack always takes a moment to listen carefully for the hum that means the fence is live. Right now, it's silent as a stone. Concealed by a clump of bushes, the Overland boy flatten out on his belly and slide under a two-foot stretch that's been loose for years. There are several weak spots in the fence but this one is so close to his home, he almost always enter the woods here.

As soon as Jack's in the trees, he retrieves a long sturdy pole-like stick from a hallow log and attached the spearhead to it with a spool of sturdy roots. Electrified or not, the fence has been successful at keeping the flesh-eaters out of District 12. Inside the woods they roam freely and there are added concerns like venomous snakes, rabid animals, and no real paths to follow. But there's also food if you know how to find it. Mr. Overland knew and he taught Jack some before he was blown to bits in a mine explosion. How an explosion occured in a mine where there was only a lake was beyond them, but they chalked it up to a malfunction in the machinery that helped them transport the ice easily. There was nothing to even bury. Jack was eleven then. Six years later, he still wakes up screaming for him to run.

Even though trespassing in the woods is illegal and poaching carries the severest of penalties, more people would risk it if they had weapons. But most are not bold enough to venture out with just a knife. Jack's makeshift staff was a rarity, crafted by Mr. Overland along with a few others that he keeps well-hidden in the woods, carefully wrapped in waterproof covers. His father could have made good money selling them, but if the officials found out he would have been publicly executed for inciting a rebellion. Most of the Guardians turn a blind eye to the few of those who hunt because they're as hungry for fresh meat as anybody is. In fact, they're one of Jack's best customers. The Overland boy was a full-pledged hunter, so he never really had to go to the mines, partly because he can get food on the table without an extra risk and partly because he was still in a trauma from what happened to his father. So anyway, the idea that someone might be arming the Seam would never have been allowed.

In the winter, when it wasn't the hailing, devasting part of it, a few brave souls sneak into the woods to harvest winter apples. But always in sight of the Meadow. Always close enough to run back to the safety of District 12 if trouble arises. Except Jack always tries to go a bit furthur, unafraid like most people from his district.

"District Twelve. Where you can starve to death in safety." Jack murmured. Then he glances quickly over his shoulder. Even here, even in the middle of nowhere, you worry someone might overhear you.

When the boy was younger, he scared his mother to death, the things he would blurt out about District 12, about the people who rule their country. Burgess, from the far-off Capital city called Berk. Eventually, Jack understood this would only lead them to more trouble. So he learned to hold his tongue and to turn his features into an indifferent mask so that no one would even look at him, let alone hear his thoughts. He played invisible. Do his work quietly in school. Make only polite small talk in the public market. Discuss more than trades in the Hob, which is the black market where he makes most of his money. Even at home, where he lets loose and becomes playfully mischievous for his beloved sister, he avoids discussing tricky topics. Like the reaping, or food shortages, or the Nightmare Games. Emma might begin to repeat her brother's words and then where would they be?

In the woods waits one of the only person with whom Jack can be his wacky self. Jamie. Jack feels the muscles in my face relaxing, his pace quickening as he climbs the hills to their place, a rock ledge overlooking a valley. A thicket of berry bushes protects it from unwanted eyes.

Suddenly, Jack stops when he sees a mountain deer. Very rare this time of year. So he tracks it down, pulling a sling from his cape-cloak inner pocket. He picked up a rock and shot it across the nearby tree by the creature to make it move and he can get a clearer shot. It moved and settled into the nearest clearing. He switched the pole's spearhead to one that makes the pole look like a Shepherd's crook and got his sling, making an alternate slingshot with the Crook. He took the spearhead and was ready to take his aim. He breathed carefully and concentrated.

"Hey Jack Frost!"

Jack panicked. He saw the deer making his escape and too late let go of the spearhead, making it hit the tree near it instead. He cursed and whipped his head back to find the brunette who called him grinning down at him from a hill.

"Damn you, Jamie. That was the first deer I've seen the whole year," Jack trudged towards him. "now I got nothing."

Jamie laughs when the two boys finally stood in front of each other. "Yeah? And what are you gonna do when people see you with a whole mountain deer, Jack Frost?" He taunted.

For the record, Jack's real name was Jackson Overland. But when they first met, Jamie thought he was the actual spirit because Jack barely whispered Jackson when he first told him his name, and -son was never heard, and you could also account it due to the fact of his pale complexion and it was winter and the Overland boy's first hunt, so he got some white dye and turned his hair so that it camouflaged with the snow. It became Jamie's official nickname for him when the dye turned out to be White paint and since they did first met in winter.

Plus, the dye-paint never came off.

"Please, I was gonna sell it to the Guardians."

"Sure you were."

"Oh, like you don't sell to Guardians?"

Jamie had to give him that. Jack smiled, Jamie claims that he never sees the brunette-turned-white-haired smile except in the woods, and that was only cause he never stays long when visiting the Overland home since he had his own family to look after. Jamie took a stone and told his best friend to make ready. He threw the stone to the nearest tree. A bunch of racoons scrambled over, Jack took aim and launched his spear to one that was climbing down the said tree. They laughed and made to retrieve the kill and weapon when they heard something fly overhead.

A Berk Hovercraft.

Jamie pressed against a tree and pulled Jack to do the same. When it finally passed, they gathered the spear and kill, making their way back to their place.

**:::::**

"Look what I shot." Jamie holds up a loaf of bread with an arrow stuck in it. Jack laughed at the joke. But it's real bakery bread, not the flat, dense loaves Jack makes from their grain rations. Jack takes it in his hands, pull out the arrow, and hold the puncture in the crust to his nose, inhaling the fragrance that makes his mouth flood with saliva. Fine bread like this is for special occasions.

"Mm, still warm," Jack said, thinking Jamie must have been at the bakery at the crack of dawn to trade for it. "What did it cost you?"

"Just a squirrel. Think old man Stoick was feeling sentimental this morning." Said Jamie. "Even wished me luck."

"Well, we all feel a little closer today, don't we?" Jack said, not even bothering to roll his eyes. "Emma left us a cheese." He pulled it out.

Jamie's expression brightens at the treat. "Thank you, Emma. We'll have a real feast." Suddenly, he falls into a Berk accent as he mimics Toothiana, the begrudgingly-admitted sweet and tender hearted woman who arrives once a year to read out the names at the reaping. Everyone likes her, no matter how hard they try not to since she's from Berk. She always acted compassionate and doesn't even try to sugar coat the Nightmare games like any other name-picker from Berk. "I almost forgot! Merry Nightmare Games!" He plucks a few blackberries from the bushes around them. "And may the odds-" He tosses a berry in a high arc toward Jack.

Jack catches it in his mouth and breaks the delicate skin with his sparkly white teeth, which Toothiana would have loved to see. The sweet tartness explodes across his tongue. "-be ever in your favor!" He finishes with equal verve. Jack laughed after. "But you know, Toothiana is never really perky about it since the first time. Actually, that was the one time she sugar coated it."

They have to joke about it however, because the alternative is to be scared out of their wits. Besides the Berk accent is so affected, almost anything sounds funny with it. Jamie pulls out a knife and slices the bread.

The two were like brothers, however not in the sense that they look alike because they don't. At least, not since Jack turned his hair white and that he had blue eyes as oppose to Jamie's brown ones with matching brownie-like colored hair. Most families who work here resemble one another that way. If Jack had never dyed out his hair and if he worked in the mines like Jamie, who claims that a little extra effort never hurt him even if he did hunt almost as much as Jack, he would fit right in as well despite his exquisite blue eyes.

That's why he wondered if he was related with Mrs. Overland and Emma, who had brown eyes like everyone. Well, he obviously was, they have his birth certificate and all but that's beside the point. He definitely got it from his father. Mr. Overland's parents, ergo Jack's supposed grandparents he will never meet, were part of the small merchant class that caters to officials. Guardians, and the occasional Seam customer. Mr. Overland got to know his mother when she was out trading for herbs for her Apothecary shop. He went to live with her at the lower parts of District 12, where they resided in now, because his parents would never consent to his marrying her. This way, living here, was the only way his parents would never follow them. He must have really loved the maiden to leave his nice settled home for the Seam. Thanks to that, though, his father managed to learn how to hunt to survive and the herbs to help him along the way, that Jack now also relies on for survival. Jack tries to remember that when all he can see is the woman who sat by, blank and unreachable, while her children turned to skins and bones. He tries to forgive her for Mr. Overland's sake. But Jack was not exactly the forgiving type.

Jamie spreads the bread slices with the soft goat cheese, carefully placing a basil leaf on each while Jack strip the bushes of their berries. They settled back in a nook in the rocks. From this place, they were invisible but have a clear view of the valley, which is teeming with autumn life, a lake just a few feet down, not frozen over because the weather was fairly warm here as compared to back there. Greens to gather, roots to dig, fish iridescent in the sunlight. The day is glorious, with a blue sky and soft breeze. The food's the feasted on wonderful, with the cheese seeping into the warm bread and the berries bursting in their mouths. Everything would be perfect for the boys if this was a holiday, if all the day off meant was roaming the mountains with each other's company, hunting for tonight's supper. But instead, they have to be standing in the square at two o' clock waiting for the names to be called out, hoping it would never be theirs.

"We could do it, you know." Jamie said quietly.

"What?" Jack asked.

"Leave the district. Run off. Live in the woods. You and I, we could make it,"

Jack stared at his best friend, not knowing how to respond. The idea is so preposterous.

"If we didn't have so many kids," Jamie added quickly.

They didn't have kids, not exactly. But they might as well have. Jamie had a little sister named Sophie, plus two twin brothers Claud and Caleb. Jack had Emma. And they may as well throw in their mothers, too, because how would they live without the eldest male in the family? Who would fill those mouths that are always asking for more? With the two boys hunting daily, there are still nights when game has to be swapped for lard or shoelaces or wool, still nights when they go to bed with stomachs growling.

"I never want to have kids," Jack scoffed. He loved kids, that's why he didn't want to have his own and they go through what he does.

"I might." Jamie shrugged. "If I didn't live here,"

"But you do," I said, irritated. "so forget it."

Jamie grinned cockily at the albino. "C'mon, you're still not sore I turned you down, are you?" Jack jabs him lightly on the shoulder.

"Bah, heart-breaker."

"Seriously though Jack, we'd make good fathers and you know it. Of course, we could after we made sure our families were covered."

But Jack's solution to never having kids but still intend on marrying? He preferred boys. However, he doesn't know how that was working out for him. The first and probably only boy he could ever go for, Jamie, went for girls and had no choice but to turn him down. They were still best friends, not much change, and it was enough for Jack. Still...

_Leave? How could Jamie even suggest that? How could I leave Emma? And Jamie is devoted to his family. We can't leave. So why bother talking about it? And even if we did leave... Even if we did... Where did this stuff about having kids come from?_

Even if Jamie started taking an interest with guys, it wasn't like they could make it happen with each other. Never mind that there was barely any romance between them, it took them a long time for them to even become friends, to stop haggling over every trade and begin helping each other out. Jack wasn't about to risk that for unrequited infatuation.

He didn't think it was love, After all, he wasn't that heartbroken after. Just disappointed.

Besides, if Jamie wanted to be a father, he won't have any trouble finding a wife. He's good-looking, he's strong enough to handle the work in the mines, and he can hunt in the woods and feed mouths. Jack can tell by the way the girls whispers about him when he walks by in school that they wanted him. It made the self-made Albino jealous, but not for the reason he used to have when he was also fawning over him. Good hunting partners are hard to find, best friends even harder. Having their time together possibly jeapordize...

"What do you want to do?" Jack asked. They could hunt, fish, or gather...

**:::::**

On the way home, the boy swing by the Hob, the black market that operates in an abandoned warehouse that once held ice gathered. When the officials came up with a more efficient system that transported the ice directly from the mines to the train, the hob gradually took over the space. Most businesses are closed by thisa time on reaping day, but the black market is fairly busy. The best friends easily traded six of the fish for good bread, the others for salt. Gothi, a puny and bony woman who sells bowls of hot soup from a large kettle, takes half the greens off their hands in exchange for a couple chunks of paraffin. The boys might do a tad better elsewhere but they make an effort to keep on good terms with Gothi. She does supply Mrs. Overland with the herbs she needs, some Jack forgets to bring back and its on an urgent day. Not to mention she was the only one who can consistently be counted on to buy wild dog. Dogs were pets, until they go wild. No one in the Seam would turn up their nose at a good leg of wild dog, but the Guardians who come to the Hob can afford to be a little choosier.

Jamie and Jack divides their spoils, leaving two fish, a couple of loaves of good bread, greens, a quart of strawberries, salt, paraffin, and a bit of money for each.

"See you in the square later," Jack said.

Jamie nodded. "Best of luck."

~o~

While Jack and Jamie were on their way back home...

"Let's fish at the lake. We can leave our poles and gather in the woods. Get something nice for tonight." A scrawny, freckled-face and green-eyed teenager suggested to his beefier brother. "Toothless could use some island cod."

The beefier teen shrugged, bored. "Or we could finally eat your stupid cat."

On that note, a jet-black cat clawed the older brunette's face, who yelped in pain. In all honesty, the cat was the best-looking cat around and would probably sell for a good price. But it was their mother's gift to Hiccup, even said it was special and would always protect the youngest, who was the scrawniest in the family.

"Make him stop, Hiccup!"

"You have to apologize first, because honestly, that's the only way to make him stop, Snoutlout."

"Fine, damnit! Sorry!"

Toothless clawed the boy once more before returning to Hiccup's side, who tried not to laugh to hard. They were the sons of the Haddocks, Stoick and Valka, bread bakers. Once before, the father did more than just bake. He hunted at the woods like the few others who did to earn more food on the table. But ever since he aged enough to have the occasional split disk, he was advised to stay home. Valka stayed to help out while the boys took over Stoick's hunting hobby-slash-job... Of course, one more so than the other, if the SCRAWNY and BEEFIER contrasting description is any hint.

"Agh, I don't see why I always have to bring you along with me." Snoutlout complained, grabbing his hunting knife and climbing a tree to get a better view. "I mean, I already have to risk my life hunting, now I got you to babysit?"

Hiccup rolled his eyes pointedly. "Hey, if it wasn't for me, you'd still be wondering how people get in to the woods." He snapped. "I mean, who was the one who figured out that the fence wasn't even live?"

Toothless meowed and jumped on Hiccup's shoulder, as if in answer. As if the cat ever did anything but side with his master. Hiccup was clever, so he always tagged along to get Snoutlout, his stronger, brawnier brother, out of any trouble.

"Ah, ba-blah. Shut up,"

"Just think of it as killing two birds with one stone,"

"How can you ever kill two birds with one stone?"

Hiccup rolled his eyes once more. "Ahh nevermind, come on," He trudged off. "let's get that Island cod before it's time to head back for tonight."

 _Tonight... After the Reaping..._ Hiccup sighed heavily. No matter how hard he tried, it was impossible not to think of it. Especially with his name being in it for over five times this year since he just turned sixteen before when it was time to enter. After Reaping everyone is supposed to celebrate. And a lot of people do, out of relief that their children have been spared for another year. But at least two families will pull their shutters, lock their doors, and try to figure how they will survive the painful weeks to come.

The Haddock brothers made out predators were somehow no match for them, and Toothless seemed well able to protect Hiccup from the occasional lynx despite it being thrice his size. The younger viking had no idea how his best friend-pet does it, but he seemed to have strength beyond his own. Forget what Snoutlout said about babysitting, if that. Toothless did most of the deed. By early afternoon, they had a dozen fish, a bag of greens and, best of all, a gallon of strawberries. Which was mostly Snoutlout's doing, Hiccup had to admit. Still, it was the younger Haddock who found the patch and had the idea to string mesh nets around it to keep out the animals. And the one who actually made the nets.

**:::::**

When they finished and made a few trade offs at the Hob, the brothers go to the back door of the mayor's house to sell half the strawberries, knowing he has a particular fondness for them and can afford their price. The Mayor's daughter, Heather, opens the door. She's in Hiccup's year at school. Snoutlout flirted with her till he found out who her father was. Being the Mayor's daughter, people would expect her to be a snob, but she's all right. She just keeps to herself. Pretty much like Hiccup who just draws and reads a lot. Since neither of them really has a group of friends, they seem to end up together a lot at school. Eating lunch, sitting next to each other at assemblies, partnering for sport activities (futile since neither were much athletic). They rarely talk, Heather being too shy, and Hiccup being socially awkward. It suited them fine.

Today her drab school outfit has been replaced by an expensive white dress and her raven-black hair is done up with a purple ribbon. Reaping clothes.

"Pretty dress," said Snoutlout.

Heather shot him a look, trying to see if it's a genuine compliment or if he's just being ironic. It is a pretty dress but she would never be wearing it ordinarily. She presses her lips together and then smiles. "Well, if I end up going to Berk, I want to look nice, don't I?"

Now it's Snoutlout's turn to be confused. So did Hiccup. _Does she mean it? Or is she messing with him? I'm guessing the second one._ The younger brother thought, stroking Toothless's fur.

"You won't be going to Berk." Snoutlout snorted. His eyes land on a small, circular pin that adorns her dress. Glistening onyx-colored with a Dragon head symbol. Beautifully crafted. It could keep a family in bread for months. "What can you have? Five entries? I had five when I was just twelve years old. Now I'm seventeen and got, what, more than a dozen?"

"I'm surprise you can count that high." Hiccup groaned. "And lay off, that's not her fault."

"No, it's no one's fault, just the way it is." Snoutlout spat.

Heather's face has become closed off. She puts the money for the berries in my hands. "Been taking care of Toothless, Hiccup?" She smiled sweetly.

The younger Haddock nodded, letting the girl pet the cat. "Thanks for trading it off to our mom without charge," He said. "He's been great."

"It's fine. He seemed rather eager anyway to be given away when he saw you," Heather told him. "Guess you're a special guy, Hiccup." She closed the door.

"Huh?" Hiccup blinked. "well that wasn't weird."

"Let's go."

**:::::**

The brothers walked toward the Seam in silence. Hiccup didn't like that Snoutlout took a dig at Heather, but he's right. The reaping system is unfair; with the poor getting the worst of it. You become eligible for the reaping the day you turn twelve. That year, your name is entered once. At thirteen, twice. And so on and so on until you reach the age of eighteen, the final year of eligibility, when your name goes into the pool seven times. That's true for every citizen in all twelve districts in the entire country of Burgess.

But here's the catch. Say you are poor and starving, as almost everyone and their mothers are in District twelve if you don't count the Guardians and the Mayor and his family. You can opt to add your name more times in exchange for tesserae. Each tessera is worth a meager year's supply of grain and oil for a person. You may do this for each of your family members as well. So, at the age of twelve, Snoutlout had his name entered five times, for his mandatory reaping entry and four more for his tesserae out of himself, Hiccup, Stoick and Valka. Just because they had bakers for parents didn't follow they had enough food. In fact, Snoutlout had to do this every year. And the entries are now, at the age of seventeen, Snoutlout's name would have entered about forty-six times. Being sixteen, Hiccup's name would have been entered around twenty times if Valka ever let her youngest take up the tessarae. Actually, no one in the Haddock family wanted to take the risk of Hiccup's chances being chosen at all, not even Snoutlout. He knew he was simply adopted into the family when his father and Stoick's brother, therefore Hiccup's uncle, Spitelout, died in a mine cave in. He took the tesserae because he owed his aunt and uncle, he didn't have to live off the streets. As boorish as he was, Snoutlout was not without heart. He wasn't into the real son possibly being take away.

So Snoutlout sees someone like Heather, who has never been at risk of needing a tessera, as one who can set him off. The chance of her name being drawn is very slim compared to those of the Seam. Not impossible, but slim. And even the rules were set up by Berk, not the districts. Certainly not Heather's family. It's hard not to resent those who don't have to sign up for tesserae.

Snoutlout's anger on Heather is misdirected, however. On other days, deep in the woods, Hiccup listened to him rant about how the tesserae are just another tool to cause misery in the districts. A way to plant hatred between the starving workers and those who can generally count on supper and thereby ensure no one trusts another. "I swear I'm so angry right now... I'll avenge every single one of our fallen tribute, I'll chop down every building at Berk. With my face." Snoutlout might say if there were no ears to hear, if it wasn't reaping day. If a girl with an onyx pin and no tesserae had not made what Hiccup's sure Heather thought was a harmless comment.

As they walk, Hiccup glances over Snoutlout's face, still smoldering underneath his stony expression. His rages seem pointless, although Hiccup never says so. It wasn't that he didn't agree with his cousin-now-brother. He did. But what good is yelling about Berk? It doesn't change anything. It doesn't make things fair. It didn't fill their stomachs. In fact, it even scares of game when they were out in the woods. But the younger male lets him, better there than in the District.

~o~

At home, Jack finds his mother and sister are ready to go. wears a fine dress back in her days. Emma is in her first reaping outfit, a skirt and ruffled blouse. It's a bit big on her but has made it stay with pins. Even so, the little girl was having trouble keeping the blouse tucked in at the back.

A tub of warm water waits for Jack, although he actually prefer the cold. He scrub off the dirt and sweat from the woods and even washed his hair. His mother kept telling to scrub harder because the paint might finally give way but the boy grew to love it. To Jack's surprise, Mrs. Overland has laid out his father's dress clothes for him, because he'll finally fit into them this year. A ice blue thing with matching shoes. He finally decided to wear them since it ws his father's. Still...

"Are you sure?" He asked his mother. He's trying to get past rejecting offers of help from her. For awhile he was so angry. He wouldn't allow her to do anything for him. And this is something special. Her beloved husband's rich clothes are very precious to her, even his clothes in general.

"Of course. Let me spiked up your hair too, like he used to." She said. He let her towel-dry it and from some leftover hair gel she styled it. Jack can hardly recognize himself in the cracked mirror that leans against of the wall, he couldn't make out his usually messy fall-down hair raised up stiffly and in place to a more decent manner.

"You look handsome." Emma said in a hushed voice.

"And nothing like myself." He said. Jack hugged her, because he knows these next few hours will be terrible for her. Her first reaping. She's about as safe as you can get, since she's only entered once. Jack wouldn't let her take out any tesserae. But Emma's worried about her brother. That the unthinkable might happen.

Jack protects Emma in every way he can, but he was powerless against the reaping. The anguish he always feels when she's in pain wells up in his chest and threatens to register on his face. Jack notice her blouse has pulled out of her skirt in the back again and force himself to stay calm.

"Tuck your tail in, little duck." He said smoothing the blouse back in place.

Emma giggled and gives him a small "Quack."

"Quack yourself." Jack said with a litle smirk and laughs, the kinds only Emma can draw out of him. "Come on, let's eat." He said and plant a quick kiss on top of her head.

The fish and greens are already cooking in a stew but that will be for supper. We decide to save the strawberries and bakery bread for this evening's meal, to make it special. Instead they drink milk from Emma's goat, Lady, and eat the rough bread made from the tessera grain, although no one has much appetite anyay.

At one o'clock, they head for the square. Attendance is mandatory unless you are in death's door. This evening, officials will come around and check to see if this is the case. If not, you'll be imprisoned.

It's too bad, really, that they hold the reaping in the square-one of the few places in district 12 that can be pleasant. The square's surrounded by shops, and on public market days, especially if there's good weather, it has a holiday feel to it. But today, despite the bright banners hanging on the buildings, there's an air of grimness. The camera crews, perched lie the buzzards on rooftops, only add to the effect.

People file in silently and sign in. The reaping is a good oppurtunity for Berk to keep tabs on the population as well. Twelve-year-olds through eighteen-year-olds are herded into roped areas marked off by ages, the oldest in the front, the young ones, like Emma, toward the back. Family members line up around the perimeter, holding tightly to one another's hands. But there are others, too, who have no one they love at stake, or who no longer care, who slipped among the crowd, taking bets on the two kids whose name will be drawn. Odds are given on the ages, whether they're Seam or Merchant, if they will break down and weep. Most refuse dealing with the racketeers but carefully. These same people tend to be informers and who hasn't broken the law? Jack could be shot on a daily basis for hunting but the appetite of those in charge protect him. Not everyone can claim the same.

Anyway, Jamie and Jack agree that if they have to choose between dying of hunger and a bullet in the head, the bullet would be much quicker.

The space gets tighter, more claustrophobic as people arrive. The square's quite large, but not enough to hold District 12's population of eight thousand. Latecomers are directed to the adjacent streets, where they can watch the event on screens as if televised live by the state.

Jack finds himself standing in a clump of seventeens from the Seam. They all exchange terse nods then focus their attention on the temporary stage that is set up before the Justice building. It holds three chairs, a podium, and two large glass balls, one for the boys and one for the girls. He stared at the paper slips in the boys' balls. Several dozens of them has Jackson Overland written on them in careful handwriting.

Two of the three chairs fill with the Mayor, and Toothiana, District 12's escort and name-picker, fresh from Berk with sweet sympathetic smile, raven hair adorned with multi-color feathers, and wore a blue and green dress. They murmur to each other and then look with concern to the empty seat.

Just as the town clock strikes two, the mayor steps up to the podium and begins to read. It's the same story every year. He tells the story of Burgess, the country that rose up out of the ashes of a place that was once called Burgess. He lists the disasters, the droughts, the storms, the fires, the encroaching seas that swallowed up so much of the land, the brutal war for what little sustenance remained. The result was Burgess, a shining Berk rigned by thirteen district, which brought peace nad prosperity to its citizens. Then came the Dark Days, the uprising of the districts against Berk. Twelve were defeated, the thirteenth district obliterated. The Treaty of Treason gave us the new laws to guarantee peace, and as the yearly reminder that the Dark Days must never be repeated, it gave the Nightmare games.

The rules of the Nightmare Games are simple. In punishment for the uprising, each of the twelve districts must provide one girl and one boy, called lights, to participate. The twenty-four lights will be imprisoned in a vast outdoor arena that could hold anything from a burning desert to a frozen wasteland. Over a period of weeks, the competitors mut fight to the death. The last light of the Nightmare experience wins.

Taking the kids from the districts, forcing them to kill one another while they watch-this is Berk's way of reminding how the Districts were at their mercy. How little chance they would stand of surviving another rebellion. Whatever words they use, the real message is clear:

**_Look how we take your children and sacrifice them and_ **

there's nothing you can do. If you lift a finger, we will destroy every last one of you

Just as we did in District Thirteen.

To make it humiliating as well as torturous, Berk requires the Nightmare Games to be treated as a festivity, a sporting event pitting every district against the others. The last light alive receives a life of ease back home, and their district will be showered with prizes, largely consisting of food. All year, Berk will show the winning district gifts of grain and oil and even delicacies like sugar while the rest battle starvation.

"It is both a time for repentence and a time for thanks," intones the mayor.

Then he reads the list of past District 12 victors. In seventy-four years, they have had exactly two. Only one is still alive. E. Aster Bunnymund, a double pony-tailed, middle-aged man, who shows up late once again, stone face and serious. Indifferent as always, uncaring except for when he paints eggs for no reason at all. Like he does now. The mayor looks distressed and quickly tries to pull the attention back to the reaping by introducing Toothiana.

The petite colorful woman trots to the podium and gives the signature, "Merry Nightmare Games. And may the odds be ever in your favor." She said, and everyone knew she meant it.

Through the farthest side of the line, alphabetically arranged, Jack spots Jamie looking back at him with a ghost of a smile. And the white haired teen suddenly thinks of both their names, several dozens of slips in that big glass ball and how the odds weren't in their favor. And maybe Jamie is thinking the same thing, because his face darkens and he turns away. "But there are still thousands of slips," Jack wish he could whisper to him.

It's time for the drawing. Tooth crosses to the glass ball with the girls' names. She reaches in, digs her hand deep into the ball, and pulls out a slip of paper. Soon after, she goes over to where the boys' names were and plucked one out. "Ladies first," She opens the girl's slip first. The crowd draws in a collective breath and then you can hear a pin drop.

"Emma Overland."


	2. The Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously:
> 
> It's time for the drawing. Tooth crosses to the glass ball with the girls' names. She reaches in, digs her hand deep into the ball, and pulls out a slip of paper. Soon after, she goes over to where the boys' names were and plucked one out. "Ladies first," She opens the girl's slip first. The crowd draws in a collective breath and then you can hear a pin drop.
> 
> "Emma Overland."

**The Lights**

One time, when Jack was in a blind in a tree, waiting motionless for game to wander by, he dozed off and fell ten feet to the ground, landing on his back. It was as if the impact knocked every wisp of air from his lungs, and he laid there struggling to inhale, to exhale, to do anything.

That's how the self-made albino feels now, trying to remember how to breathe, unable to speak, totally stunned as the name bounces around the inside of his skull. Someone is gripping him, a boy from the bakery, Snoutlout, because Jack had started to fall, so he caught him.

There must have been some mistake. This can't be happening, Jack was practically hyperventilating. Emma was one slip of paper in thousands! Her chances of being chosen so remote that Jack had not even bothered to worry about her. Hadn't he done everything? Taken tesserae, refused to let Emma do the same? One slip. One slip in thousands. The odds had been entirely in her favor. But it hadn't mattered in the end.

Somewhere far away, the crowd is murmuring unhappily as they always do when twelve-year-olds gets chosen because no one thinks this is fair. Jack then sees his sister, the blood drained from her face, hands clenched in fists at her side, her eyes sparkling, walking with stiff, small steps up toward the stage, passing Jack, and he sees the back of her blouse has become untucked and hangs out over her skirt. It's this detail, the untucked blouse forming a ducktail, that brings Jack back to himself.

"Emma!" The strangled cry comes out of his throat, and his muscles begin to move again. "Emma!" He didn't need to shove through the crowd. The other kids make way immediately allowing Jack a straight path to the stage, who didn't catch Jamie's own look of disbelief. Guardians blocks Jack's path initially but the boy ducked and rushed over to his sister. With one sweep of his arm, he pushes her behind him. "I volunteer!" He gasped out. "I volunteer as Light!"

There's some confusion on the stage. District 12 hasn't had a volunteer in decades and the protocol has become rusty. The rule is that once a Light's name has been pulled from the ball, another eligible boy, if a boy's name has been read, or a girl, if a girl's name has been read, can step forward to take his or her place. In some districts, in which winning the reaping is such a great honor, people are eager to risk their lives, the volunteering is complicated. But in District 12, where the word Light is pretty much synonymous with the word Corpse, volunteers are all but extinct.

"Uhm," Tooth started. "But I believe there's a small matter of you being a boy. Unless you're perhaps related to her in some way, and since you look the right age, maybe..." she trails off, unsure herself.

That was the excemption to the rule. If a family member of an eligible age wishes to volunteer for a younger, gender aside, it was permitted.

Jack squared his shoulders, ignoring Emma's cry. "I'm her older brother. I can take her place! And I freakin' will!" He declared. Emma is screaming hysterically behind him, she's wrapped her skinny arms around him like a vice.

"No, Jack! No! You can't go!"

"Emma, let go," Jack said harshly, because this is upsetting him. He was already on the verge of tears, a bit freaked out himself. Everyone will make note of his tears, and he'll be marked as an easy target. A weakling, especially for a boy. I will give no one that satisfaction. "Let go!"

The Overland boy felt someone pulling Emma back, and he was ready to smack whoever if it was a Guardian, but when Jack turns he sees Jamie lifting Emma off the ground and she's thrashing in his arms. "Up you go, Jack Frost," He said, in a voice he's fighting to keep steady, and then he carries Emma off towards Mrs. Overland. Jack steels himself and climb the steps.

"Well now, all right." Tooth smiles encouragingly, taking Jack's arm and pulling him beside her on stage. "That was rather gallant... Now come on, you can get through this." She said, lowering her voice at the last part as she felt the albino's shoulder shook a bit, trying not to let anyone else in on it. "What's your name, dear?"

Jack swallows hard. "Jackson Overland." He said.

"You have lovely teeth, and an even lovelier sister." Tooth said softy. "She's definitely worth this." Jack nodded, agreeing a hundred percent. She continued, "Ladies and gentlemen, the first Light and volunteer of District Twelve, Jackson Overland!"

To the everlasting credit of the people of District 12, not one person claps. Not even the ones holding betting slips, the ones who are usually beyond caring. Possibly they know Jack from the Hob, or his father, or have encountered Emma, who no one can help loving. So instead of acknowledging applause, Jack stands there unmoving while they take part in the boldest form of dissent they can manage. Silence. Which says they do not agree. They do not condone. All of this is wrong.

Then something unexpected happens. At least, Jack doesn't expect it because he didn't think of District 12 as a place that cared about him. But a shift has occured since he stepped up to take Emma's place, and now it seems he have become someone precious. At first one, then another, then almost every member of the crowd touches the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and holds it out to Jack. It is an old an rarely used gesture of their district, occasionally seen at funerals. It means thanks, it means admiration, it means good-bye to someone loved.

Now Jack was truly in danger of crying, after laying low and being unseen, he gets o much more than mere acknowledgements. Luckily for Jack, Aster chooses this time to come staggering across the stage to congratulate him. "Well, you're a racking showpony, aren't ya?" He throws an arm around Jack's shoulders. He was stronger than he looked. "A little brumby, aye mate? Lots of... Spunk!" He walked off, flinging his arms in the air. "More than you!" He points at the camera and trudged off stage. "I've done my bit here, carry on without me!"

Jack was grateful, with every camera trained on Aster, he had enough time to release the small, choked sound in his throat and compose himself. He puts his hands behind his back and stare into the distance. He can see the hills he climbed this morning with Jamie. For a moment, he yearns for something... The idea of leaving the district, making their way in the woods, but he knew he had been right about not running off. Because who else would have volunteered for Emma?

Tooth gets the ball rolling again. "All right, proceeding to the next Light, shall we?" She unrolls the slip she got out of boys' glass, because she already plucked it out. It wouldn't do if she returned it and just picked out from the girls' glass again, there was a rule against that, but no rule against having same gender Lights. Jack didn't even have time to wish for Jamie's safety when Tooth's reading the name, "Hamish Haddock."

Hamish Haddock!

Oh, no, Jack thinks. Not him! He recognized this name, although he never spoken directly to its owner. Hamish Haddock. The albino teen watches the second Light makes his way towards the stage. Petite, scrawny build, auburn brown hair that falls in waves over his forehead. The shock of the moment is registering on his face, you can see his struggle to remain emotionless, but his green eyes show alarm the Overland boy have seen so often in prey. So Jack might've been wrong, thinking that Jamie was the only guy he could go for. Because he has always been interested with Hamish, a.k.a Hiccup, for quite sometime. But this was so much more than some infatuation crush-candidate fascination thing. So much more than that.

The odds were definitely not in his favor today.

Why him? Jack thinks. He tries to convince himself that it didn't matter. Hamish Haddock and Jackson Overland weren't friends, not for a longshot. Far from neighbors. They pass by each other in hallways at school, sure, but their real interaction happened years ago. One of them must have forgotten about it, but it sure wasn't Jack. And he knows he'll never will.

It was during the worst time. Mr. Overland had been killed in the mine accident three months earlier in the bitterest January anyone could remember. The numbness of his loss had passed, and the pain would hit Jack out of nowhere, doubling him over, racking his body with sobs. Where are you? He would cry out in his mind. Where have you gone? Of course, there was never any answer.

The district had given Jack a small amount of money as compensation for his death along with the medal of valor since he was the oldest child. Compensation, enough to cover one month of grieving at which Mrs. Overland would be expected to get a job. Only he didn't, she didn't do anything but sit propped up in a chair or, more often, huddled under the blanket on her bed, eyes fixed on some pint in the distance. Once in a while, she'd stir, get up as if moved by some urgent purpose, only to then collapse back into stillness. No amount of pleading from Emma seemed to affect her.

Jack was terrified. Now that his mother was locked in some dark world of sadness, but at that time, all Jack knew was that he had lost not only a father but a mother as well. At Eleven years old with Emma just six, he took over as head of the family. There was no choice. He bought food at the market and cooked it as best as he could and tried to keep his sister and himself looking presentable. Because if it had become known that Mrs. Overland could no longer care for them, the district would have taken them away from her and placed them in a community home. Jack had grown up seeing those home kids at school. The sadness, the marks of angry hands on their faces, the hopelessness that curled their shoulders forward. He could never let that happen to Emma. Sweet, tiny Emma who cried before Jack cried when he ever did, before she even knew the reason, who brushed and plaited their mother's hair before they left for school, who still polished Mr. Overland's shaving mirror every night because he'd hate the layer of frost that settlled on everything in the Seam. The community home would crush her like a bug, so he kept their predicament a secret.

But the money ran out and they were slowly starving to death. There's no other way to put it. Jack kept telling himself if he could only hold out until September, just September 12th, he would turn twelve and be able to sign up for tesserae and get that precious grain and oil to feed them. Only there were still several weeks to go. They could well be dead by then.

Starvation's not an uncommon fate in District 12. Who hadn't seen the victims? Older people who can't work. Children from a family with too many to feed. Those injured in the mines. Straggling through the streets. And one day, you come upon them sitting motionless against a wall or lying in the meadow, you hear wails from a house, and the Guardians are called in to retrieve the body. Starvation is never the cause of death officially. Is always the flu, or exposure, or pneumonia. But that fools no one.

On the afternoon of the encounter with Hamish Haddock, the rain was falling in relentless icy sheets. Jack had been in town, trying to trade some threadbare old baby clothes of Emma's in the public market. But there were no takers. Although he had been to the Hob on several occasions with Mr. Overland, he was too frightened to venture into that rough, gritty place alone. The rain soaked through his father's cape-cloak thing, leaving Jack chilled to the bone. For three days, they'd had nothing but boiled water with some old dried mint leaves he'd found in the back of a cupboard. By the time the market closed, Jack was shaking so hard he dropped the bundle of baby clothes in a mud puddle. He didn't pick it up for fear he would keel over and be unable to regain his feet. Besides, no one wanted those clothes.

He couldn't go home. Because at home was Mrs. Overland with her dead eyes and Emma, with her hollow cheeks and cracked lips. Jack couldn't walk into that room with the smoky fire from the damp branches he had scavenged at the edge of the woods after the coal had run out, his hands empty of any hope.

Jack found himself stumbling along a muddy lane behind the shops that serve the wealthiest townspeople. The merchants live above their businesses, so he was essentially in their backyards. He remembers the outlines of garden beds not yet harvest ready, a goat or two in a pen, one sodden dog tied to a post, hunched defeated in the muck.

All forms of stealing are forbidden in District 12. Punishable by death. But it crossed Jack's mind that there might be something in the trash bins, and those were fair game. Perhaps a bone at the butcher's or rotted vegetables at the grocer's, something no one but the Overland family was desperate enough to eat. Unfortunately, the bins had just been emptied.

When Jack passed the baker's, the smell of fresh bread was so overwhelming he felt dizzy. The ovens were in the back, and a golden glow spilled out the open kitchen door. He stood mesmerized by the heat and the luscious scent until the rain interfered, running its icy fingers down his back, forcing Jack back to life. He lifted the lid to the baker's trash bin and found it spotlessly, heartlessly bare. Then dejectedly, he leaned against the tree.

Then, Jack noticed him. A boy with auburn hair peering out from the porch. He'd seen him at school, a year before him, and the Overland boy was interested him enough to know his name. He must have been watching Jack, although he slowly made his way back in the bakery. There was then yelling of an arguement between two of the younger boys that lived there, one of them adopted into the family from cousin to brother after another man by the name of Spitelout was killed at the same incident Mr. Overland died at. There was blaming for burnt bread. Then, there was the realization that Jack had nothing to take home finally sinking in. His knees buckled and he slid don the tree trunk to its roots. It was too much. Jack was sick and weak and tired, oh, so tired. Let them call the Guardians and take us to the community home, he thought. Or better yet, let me die right here in the rain.

There was a clatter in the bakery and Jack heard the door open after a sound of a blow. He vaguely wondered what was going on. Feet sloshed toward him through the mud and Jack thought, Maybe someone's coming to drive me away with a stick. But that never happened. It was the boy. In his arms, he carried two large loaves of bread that must have fallen into the fire because the crusts were scorched black.

The cousin-brother yelled from the inside. "Feed it to the goats, you stupid fishbone! I slaved baking those breads now no one will buy then!" He complained.

The auburn boy rolled his eyes but didn't complain back. Sure, it was an exaggeration to say that he slaved over two loaves of bread, but he was right to complain for the waste of ingredients. But the auburn boy didn't really see it as a waste. He begun to tear off chunks from the burned parts, and made to stand in front of Jack. "Well, you'll probably take this either way whatever your parents say about talking and taking stuff from strangers. Still... I'm Hamish Haddock, so here." He offered a crooked smile and place the breads in between Jack's knees. "Help yourself,"

Jack stared at him, dumbstrucked. Then the front of the bakery bell rung and one of the adults from the baker called for the boy. The boy acknowledged Jack one more time, and the Overland boy noticed the red weal that stood out on his freckled cheek bone, that Jack later realized how he found those freckles cute when he stole glances at school days, weeks, and years later. What had his cousin-brother hit him with? Jack's parents never hit them. He couldn't even imagine it. Then, Hamish Haddock returned to the bakery.

The Overland boy stared at the loaves in disbelief. They were fine, perfect really, except for the burned areas. But hey, nothing was completely perfect in this world anymore. And they were warm too, even warmer than that were Jack's cheeks from the gesture, and it was then that Hamish Haddock captured the Overland boy's heart, unbeknownst to the boy himself. Before anyone could witness what had happened or take the luxury goods from him, Jack shoved the loaves under his cape-cloak and walked swiftly away. By the time he reached home, the loaves had cooled somewhat, but the insides were still warm. When Jack dropped them on the table, Emma's hands reached to tear off a chunk, but he made her sit, forced Mrs. Overland to join them at the table, and poured warm tea. Jack scraped off the black stuff and sliced the bread. They ate an entire loaf, slice by slice. It was hearty bread, filled with raisins and nuts.

Jack put his clothes to dry at the fire, crawled into the bed, and fell into a deep sleep, dreaming about the auburn boy that consumed his mind for tyhe following days to come. It didn't occured to him till the next day that the boy might have burned the bread on purpose. Might have dropped the loaves into the flames, knowing it meant being punished, and then delivered them to Jack. It would definitely explain the red weal on his cheek and the blow he heard, probably from his cousin-brother. He couldn't explain the boy's actions from anything but pure kindness. There was no pity in the smile, not that he saw, simply just intention to help out.

They ate slices of bread for breakfast and headed to school. It was now harvest time and leaves fell from the trees as Jack's birthday approached soon. Soft breezes, autumn leaves mixing with a few snow pile since there was snow no matter what time of the year, what season. At school, Jack passed the boy in the hall, his cheek swelled up and his eye had blackened. He was with the mayor's daughter, but they didn't really interact much with each other so it raised the Overland boy's hopes that there wasn't anything between them. He meant to thank him, but how would that look like? And would Hamish get more trouble when his parents found out he gave bread away to a stranger on purpose? Their eyes met once and Jack blushed furiously, turning away. That's when something struck him as he noticed the leaves falling, some of them still looking green making their way towards autumn colors. It was in those leaves Jack saw life and hope. He was alive, despite the horror of the past days. Jack was now the one to be counted on for survival as soon as he turns twelve, and he'll start hunting because he doubted tesserae grain can keep the fed for long and he was never going to work at the mine that took his father and thrusted this change in his life. Still, he knew he could do it, and he will do it for his sister. Change was hard, but like the change of autumn leaves, the naked trees going through winter and yet manages a rebirth everytime at the spring... Change was good. Change had hope. And he would never see this hope if he didn't live long enough for it.

:::::

To this day, Jack can never shake the connection between the boy, Hamish Haddock, and the bread that gave him hope, and the leaves that reminded him that he was not doomed if he went with along with change. He wanted so badly to return the favor. Jack hated returning favors, but this was an excemption. But the oppurtunity never seemed to present itself. And now it never will. Because they were going to be thrown into an arena to fight to the death. Exactly how was Jack supposed to work in a thank-you in there? Somehow it just won't seem sincere if he tried to slit his throat. He haven't even worked his way to at least get to an acquiantance standing with him, and any chance to hit on him disappears before it even formed.

Well, there will be twenty-four of us. Odds are someone else will kill him before I do.

Of course, the odds have not been very dependable of late.

~o~

Gods, Hiccup thought, his eyes fixed on the stage where Tooth was introducing the first Light. He's so noble to do that...

The boy remembered this Jackson Overland years back one rainy day, and if they were just at the same age group, they might've even been friends at one point. Then, Hiccup had to rethink that. Heather and he was the same age group, and they barely even talk beyond casually polite greeting. And in any case, they lived in different parts of town.

Still, that did not stop the brunette from admiring what Jackson had done. He didn't think such a selfless act existed anymore, not in this world in any case. Even those who do volunteer in other districts don't do it selflessly, they do it because they get glory out of it. Here, surviving was so much more important than that... But apparentley, for Jackson, his sister was far more important than either. Sure, there was Snoutlout, who didn't mind being the one taking up tesserae in behalf of the Haddock family, but he did that as a way of repaying them. Somewhat selfless, but also an act of conscience. Not that Hiccup wasn't grateful or anything, but it made him feel bad, useless.

He considered taking the place of Snoutlout if ever he was called next, but wondered if he can even push through with it. He sure didn't have the guts Jackson had. And Snoutlout probably had better chances out there than he did, assuming the other contenders had his level of intellect.

He didn't have much time to think of that more, however. Because Hiccup was snapped back to reality when the second Light's name was called.

"Hamish Haddock."

Hiccup's blood ran cold, his eyes widening like saucers. Did he really just hear his name called out? N-no way... Why... How... There were five... I had as much chance as Heather did... He didn't realize how long he's been standing there till he was jostled by someone beside him and he saw a Guardian signaling for him to move. Still in a trance, Hiccup somehow manages to make his legs move and he walks out of the line and made his way towards the stage, still too stunned. All he knew was walkng, and he was completely oblivious to everything going on around him. He didn't catch his mother crying hysterically in his father's arms. He didn't see his cousin-brother's shell-shocked expression and barely concealed shame, not having the guts to volunteer the way Jackson had. There was one thing Hiccup was not oblivious to, however. Today was the first day of his last days.

Finally, the Haddock boy climbs steadily on the stage and takes his place on the other side of Tooth. She asks for volunteers but no one steps forward. Snoutlout could've, but this is standard. Family devotion only goes so far for most people on reaping day. What Jackson did was the radical thing. Tooth place both hands over Hiccup's shouders, then cupped his one cheek. "Hang in there, sweetie, hang in there," she murmured softly. Jackson and Hiccup was made to face each other and exchange handshakes. It was brief, but when Hiccup was pulling away, he had to tug a bit harder to break free from the Overland boy's grip, who didn't seem like he planned on letting go. Jackson looks Hiccup right in the eye and gives his hand what meant to be a reassuring squeeze. Did he care?

The Mayor looks at Hiccup with a pained expression on his face. He doesn't know Hiccup, really, but there's faint recognition there. Hiccup is one of the boys who brings the strawberries, the boy his daughter might have spoken of on occasion. Does he remember that? The Mayor begins to read the long, dull Treaty of Treason as he does every year at this point-it's required-but no one's listening to a word. He finishes the dreary Treaty of Treason. Then Guardians ashered them into the Justice Building as they turn back to the crowd and the anthem of Burgess plays.

Then, Hiccup remembers something important and turned around, trying to find any of his family. The Guardians stopped him, thinking he was trying to escape. Finally, Snoutlout seems to snapped out of something and made to volunteer. But it was premature, no longer valid. But Hiccup didn't turn back for that.

"Toothless! Snoutlout, bring Toothless in later!" The Haddock boy hollered desperately before the door closed in. Whatever happened, he had to see Toothless one last time. He was the most precious thing to him.

:::::

The anthem ends, the boys are taken into custody. Not that they were handcuffed or anything, but a group of Guardians marches them through the front door of the Justice building. Maybe Lights have tried to escape in the past. Hiccup have never seen that happen though. Then again, not that that said much about anything. He never really paid attention to these things.

Once inside, he was conducted to a room and left alone. It's the richest place he have ever been in, with thick, deep carpets and a velvet couch and chairs. Hiccup can't help but run his fingers over the fabric repeatedly. It helps him calm down as he tries to prepare for the next hour. The time allotted for the Lights to say good-bye to their loved ones. He could not afford to get upset, to leave this room with with puffy eyes and a red nose. Crying is not an option. There will be more cameras at the train station. But he had a feeling he wasn't going to go through with that. A feeling that was proven not a moment later. His parents came in and Valka immediately embrace her son, the tears haven't stopped since they started. She couldn't accept the fact that she could possibly lose her precious child that she brought to this world and nursed. She kept him close and tousled his hair, just like she always does whenever she embraced him. Hiccup couldn't hold back his own tears Stoick comes over and wraps them both in his arms. He wasn't openly affectionate and usually showed his love for his son indirectly. But this was no time for that. So he planted a soft kiss on his son's forehead. For a few minutes, they say nothing.

Then, Hiccup looks over their shoulders. "Where's Snoutlout-?

~o~

"You can't leave again."

Jack started by telling his mother and sister all the things they must remember to do, now that he was not there to do them for them. Emma was not to take any tesserae. They can get by, if they're careful, on selling Emma's goat milk and cheese and the small apothecary business Mrs. Overland runs for the people in the Seam. Jamie will get her the herbs she doesn't grow herself, but she must be very caqreful to describe them because he's not as familiar with them as Jack was. He'll also bring them game-he and Jack made a pact about this a year or so ago-and will probably not ask for compensation but they should thank him with some kind of trade, like milk or medicine.

He didn't bother suggesting Emma learn to hunt. Jack tried to teach her a couple of times and it was disastrous. The woods terrified her and whenever he shot something she'd get teary and talk about how they might be able to heal it if they got it home soon enough. But she makes out well with her goat, so he concentrated on that.

When he was done with instruction about fuel, and trading and staying in school, Jack turn to his mother and grip her arm, hard. "Listen to me. Are you listening to me?" Mrs. Overland nods, alarmed by the intensity. "You can't leave again." He said.

Mrs. Overland's eyes find the floor. "I know. I won't. I couldn't help what-"

"Well, you have to help it this time. You can't clock out and leave Emma on her own. There's no me now to keep you both alive. It doesn't matter what happens. Whatever you see on the screen. You have to promise me you'll fight through it!" Jack's voice risen to a shout. In it is all the anger, all the fear he felt at her abandonment.

She pulls her arm from my grasp, moved to anger herself now. "I was ill. I could have treated myself if I'd had the medicine I have now."

That part about her being ill might be true. Jack have seen her bring back people suffering from immobilizing sadness since. Perhaps it is a sickness But it's one they can't afford.

"Then take it. And take care of her!"

"It'll be all right, Jack." Said Emma, clasping his face in her hands. "But you have to take care, too. You're so skilled and brave. Maybe you can win."

"Maybe," Jack said, because he can hardly tell his mother to carry on if he'd already given up himself. Besides, it isn't in his nature to go down without a fight. Oh, there'll be people like him, too. People to weed out before the real fun begins. "Then we'd be rich as Aster."

"I don't care if we're rich. I just want you to come home. You will try, won't you? Really, really try?" Asks Emma.

"Really, really try. I swear it, believe me." He said. And he knows because of Emma he'll have to.

And then the Guardians is at the door signaling their time is up, and they're all hugging one another so hard ot hurts and all Jack was saying is, "I love you. I love you both." And they're saying it back and then the Guardians orders them out and the door closes. Jack flomps down on the velvet pillows as if this can block the whole thing out.

Someone else enters the room, and when Jack looks up, he's surprise to see one of the Haddock kids, Hamish's cousin-brother. For the life of him, Jack could not figure out why he came to see him. After all, the Overland boy would be trying to kill his brother soon. Of course, he was gonna avoid being the one to kill off Hamish as much as possible. So many reasons for Jack to not want that. Snoutlout crosses his arms, glaring at him. He's a buff, broad shouldered man with burn scars from years at the ovens and blacksmithing tools for mining. The whole Haddock boys had it.

"Take care of Hiccup."

Jack blinked rapidly at the request. "Uhm, huh? Who?" He tilted his head. Who was the boy talking about? Who was Hiccup?

"My brother."

"Oh okay... Wait what?" He asked in shock. Didn't this guy know the rules of the games? And he just promised to Emma to win...

Snoutlout huffed irritatedly. "Look, I know as much as anyone that Hiccup is probably the last person to win this thing. But do not let him go down without a fight! Or let him die a gruesome death, kill him yourself if you have to... Okay, maybe not that." He took it back. "If you did, I'd kill you myself even if you did make it back."

"Erm," Jack coughed. "wasn't planning to..."

Snoutlout sighed deeply. "I should've volunteered for him when I had the chance..." He shook his head. "This is my fault... Hiccup shouldn't have to go through this... It's my fault..."

It was a bad promise to make. The worse. Because things like promises are made to be as broken as the world is. But Jack couldn't help it. "I'll look after him." And he meant it. This was his chance of repaying the favor.

Snoutlout blinks at him, then turned his expression hard. "I'll hold you to that." Then just like that, he leaves.

Finally, Jamie is here and though they both know there will be nothing between them more than just a friendship-brotherly connection, when the brunette held his arms out Jack didn't hesitate to give him a embrace. There were no feelings that exceeded brotherly affection and they both knew it.

"Listen," He said. "Getting a knife should be pretty easy, but you've got to get your hands on a spear. That's your best adept."

"They don't always have spears," Jack said, thinking of the year there were only horribly spiked maces that the Lights had to bludgeon one another to death with.

"Then make one," Jamie counters. "Even a weak spear is better than no spear at all."

Jack had tried copying his father's spears with poor results. It's not that easy. Even he had to scrap his own work sometimes.

"I don't know if there'll be wood." Jack said. Another year, they tossed everybody into a landscape of nothing but boulders and sand and scruffy bushes. He particularly hated that year. Many contestants were bitten by venomous snakes or went insane from thirst.

"There's almost always some woods," The brunette pointed out. "Since that year half of them died of cold. Not much entertainment in that."

It's true. One Nightmare Games spent watching players freeze to death at night. They could hardly see them because they were just huddled up in balls and had no wood for fires or torches or anything. It was considered very anticlimatic in Berk, all those quiet, bloodless deaths. Since then, there's usually been wood to make fires.

"Yes, there's usually some."

"Jack, it's just hunting. You're the best hunter I know."

"It's not just hunting. They're armed. They think."

"So do you. And you've had more practice. Real practice. You know how to kill."

"Not people,"

"How different can it be really? They'll be trying to kill you just as much as any lynx or bear does. But you never had problems taking them down."

The awful thing is that if Jack can forget they're people, it will be no different at all.

Jamie gave his best friend a long look and sighed deeply. "And Jack?" He gave Jack such a serious look, the boy was curious as to why. "I'm so sorry about Hamish."

Jack blinked rapily once more. "Huh?"

"C'mon, I've seen how you look at him." Jamie rolled his eyes. "You obviously like him. It must suck, huh? First time you actually have a chance to speak to the guy, and it had to be because of this."

"Yeah, it freakin' sucks." Jack groaned. No point in hiding it, Jamie could read him like a book. "Like hell."

"Just another reason to despise the Nightmare Games."

The Guardians are back too soon and Jamie asks for more time but they're taking him away and Jack starts to panic. "Don't let them starve!"

"I won't! You know I won't! And Jack, win! Just win with all you've got, swear to it!"

And then he was gone, leaving Jack with another promise that he might not keep, whether he liked it or not.

~o~

"Hamish, you have to try and come home." Valka pleaded desperately then shook her head. "No, you don't try. You must, come home and I'll bake your home-coming cake myself! You're smart and fast, and you'll get sponsors! What's not to like about you?"

I can't win... Valka must know that in her heart. The competition will be far beyond his abilities. Kids from wealthier districts, where winning is a huge honor, who've been trained their whole lives for this. Boys who are four to five times his size. Girls who know twenty ways to kill with a knife. "What does sponsors have to do with this?" Hiccup ignored her pleas. He wasn't about to make broken promises or dampen up her hopes.

Before Valka or Stoick could answer, Guardians comes and they had to give their final good-byes. Valka gave him a quick embrace and kissed his forehead, cheeks, and all that. She was completely drained from crying and her tears run out. Stoick grasped his son's shoulders and squeezed them affectionately.

"If I could only take your place..."

"I know dad," Hiccup swallowed, getting emotional once more and teared up, because his father never openly expressed his love. And it had to be when he was at death's door. "I know. I love you both..."

Then they were ushered-more like dragged-out. Hiccup cried for a full minute.

Hiccup's next guest is unexpected. Heather walks straight to him, who beamed when he saw Toothless in her arms. She rushed back to the Seam as soon as Hiccup was called, somehow avoiding detection, and went to get the pet. The cat immediately jumped to Hiccup's arms, purring and getting comfortable Hiccup figured he'll have more difficulty parting with him more than he thought.

As if reading his thought, Heather said, "You can take him with you."

"What? You're kidding. That's not funny."

"No. Seriously." Heather smirked. "Guess the rumors are true, about you not really watching the games. If there were any, you can take a pet with you, of course you'll decide whether or not you'd take them to the arena with you or have them brought home when it's time to enter the field. And one other thing," Then there's an urgency in her tone that surprises Hiccup. "They let you wear one thing from your district to the arena. One thing to remind you of home. Will you wear this?" She holds out the circular onyx pin that was on her dress earlier. Hiccup hadn't paid much attention to it earier, but now he sees that while the center piece was a dragon head, the circular borders formed the circle like wings.

"Your pin?" Hiccup blinked. Wearing a token from his district is about the last thing on his mind. Ways he could die in the arena comes second after his family's pain of watching him humiliate their name in live TV.

"Here, I'll put it on your vest, all right?" Heather doesn't wait for an answer, she just leans in and fixes the dragon on the fur vest. "Promise you'll wear it into the arena, Hiccup," she pleaded. "Promise?"

Hiccup couldn't understand the request, but it was a promise he could manage. "Yes. Thanks, Heather." He offered a lopsided smile Heather gives him more. A kiss on the cheek. Then she made to leave, giving one more look to the blushing boy more from fluster than anything else.

"And somehow, I think you'd have an edge if Toothless did come with you in the arena. He kept you alive this long in your hunts," Heather smiled and HIccup thinks that maybe she was his friend all along. "It was never just Snoutlout."

"Ahem."

Heather looked out and saw the said person in front of her.

"You want to kill off the cat too?"

"Oh like you were ever really fond of him," Heather rolled her eyes before leaving. Snoutlout went in. Hiccup approached him awkwardly.

"Uhm, look Snoutlout, I-"

Snoutlout held him off. "Ba-ba-blah,I don't want to get mushy here. You got the cat for that," He countered. "Just... Fight hard, Hiccup."

"I never even fought, you tell me how I can even fight hard."

Snoutlout grasped his shoulders and shook him hard. "I'M NOT LOSING A FAMILY AGAIN!" He screamed at the boy with the cat still in his arms, who was more than just surprised that even his brother could be affectionate. "If you die, you die. If you fight, you could win. You have to try! Try, for all those times I watched your back at the woods!"

Hiccup might have given a snarky remark, he could have teased his brother for being emotional. He could've clarified that Toothless was the one who watched his back. But he didn't.

"Thank you, Snoutlout."

The beefier teen moved back to the door. "See you soon, bro." He rushed away.

Hiccup blinked, since this was the first time Snoutlout ever acknowledge them being brothers. He had to smile. He looked down to Toothless, who cocked his head in wonder. Hiccup chuckled. "Guess this day isn't so bad after all..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually liked how this turned out. So sometimes Jack plays Peeta and Hiccup plays Katniss. But in general, they are who I say they are in the first chapter's casting. I really have no idea what age Hiccup is in Httyd2. So let's just think for this story, Jack's height is an average for his age (17 by the way) and Hiccup being sixteen is smaller than Jack or even Jamie had been at that age.


	3. The Trip to Berk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously:
> 
> Hiccup blinked, since this was the first time Snoutlout ever acknowledge them being brothers. He had to smile. He looked down to Toothless, who cocked his head in wonder. Hiccup chuckled.
> 
> "Guess this day isn't so bad after all..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Astrid - Johanna Mason (only mentioned. Not debut)
> 
> Sophie - Rory (I forgot to put her in the first mention when she was mentioned.)
> 
> Claude and Caleb - Gale's brothers (^same excuse)

**The Trip to Berk**

It's a short ride from the Justice building to the train. Two vehicles rode in convoy. Neither of the boys have ever been in a car before. Rarely even rode wagons. In the Seam or Merchant division of class, people usually travel on foot at District 12.

Jack have been right not to cry. The station is swarming with reporters with their insect-like camera trained directly on his face. But he have had a lot of practice at wiping his face clean of emotion to people he didn't want to show them to. Which was almost everyone. So he does this now. Jack catches a glimpse of himself on the television screen on the wall that's airing his arrival live and felt gratified that he appeared almost bored.

Hiccup comes out of the car behind the one Jack was in, Toothless resting in his arms. The brunette, on the other hand, has obviously been crying and interestingly enough does not seem to be trying to cover it up. On one hand, Jack wanted to see if he could do anything to comfort him. On the other, he wondered if this will be his strategy in the Games. To appear weak and frightened, to reassure the other Lights that he is no competition at all, and then come out fighting. This worked very well for a girl, Astrid Hofferson, from District 7, a few years back. She seemed like such a sniveling, cowardly fool, and just looked pretty for the camera that no one bothered about her until there were only a handful of contestants left. It turned out she could kill viciously and toss an axe with accuracy. Pretty clever, the way she played it. Although, even if Jack didn't know Hiccup well, he had a feeling that the Haddock boy wasn't like that. He seemed... much too pure for that, if the kindness from before was any hint. And Jack finally understood what Snoutlout meant about him and that he shouldn't have to go through to this; Not thinking in a mean way, Jack saw that Hiccup didn't need to fake being weak at all. He probably wasn't confident of himself. Hiccup was kind, Jack couldn't see him murdering people, and he definitely didn't want to see the boy murdered himself. But he'll be seen as an easy target, and Jack couldn't do much about that, and it frustrated him. It practically killed him now as he watched the adorable object of his affections cuddling the cat close to him in comfort, and in a way that Jack had to be bribed if he was ever going to do that to Buttercup. The brunette couldn't kill an animal, never mind humans, and that made Jack feel dirty and thought he wouldn't deserve Hiccup even if he spent the rest of his life washing his hands clean.

They have to stand for a few minutes in the doorway of the train while the cameras gobble up their images, then they're allowed inside and the doors close mercifully behind them. The train begins to move at once.

The speed initially takes their breaths away. Of course, they've never been in trains, as travel between the districts is forbidden except for officially sanctioned duties. For District 12, that's mainly transporting ice. But this is no ordinary train. It's one of the high-speed Berk models that average 250 miles per hour. The journey to Berk will take less than a day.

In school, they're told that Berk was built in a place called Arendelle. District 12 was in a region by the North mountain. Of course, with the fences, no one really saw the mountain. Even hundreds of years ago, they scavenged for ice. Somehow, Berk needed them for something called Air-condition.

Somehow it all comes back to ice at school. Besides basic reading and math most of their instruction is ice-related. Except for the weekly lecture on the history of Burgess. It's mostly a lot of blather about what the people owe Berk. Hiccup knows there must be more than what they're telling them, an actual account of what happened during the the rebellion. But there was no way of knowing what it was, so he never got to satisfy his curiousity. And Jack doesn't really spend his time thinking about it. Whatever the truth is, he didn't see how it would help him get food on the table.

The Light train is fancier than even the rooms in the Justice building. The boys were each given their own chambers that had a bedroom, a dressing area, and a private bathroom with hold and cold running water.

There are drawers filled with fine clothes and Tooth tells the boys to do anything they want, wear anything they want, everything was at their disposal. Granted, they had their own chambers, but their rooms were connected by a single sliding door, since they were both guys nobody saw it as a problem. If they all knew about Jack.

"Just be ready for supper in an hour." She chirps before leaving the room.

Jack and Hiccup stood stiffly, unsure what to do next with the unfamiliarity of it all. Oh how badly did the albino wanted to say something, anything! But he was thinking of the best way to leave a good impression, despite the situation of the games. Apparentley, Hiccup didn't care much for leaving an impression for their first words to each other since the bread incident.

"Uhm, I'll take the other room then? It looks smaller, and I kinda preferred things that way." Hiccup rubbed the back of his head. "Unless you want it?"

Jack made a good impression of a dead cod fish by staring at him blankly as response, observing how the brunette's locks bounced when he made the slightest movement.

"I'll take that as a no. See you at supper, I guess." Hiccup gave the white haired teen a confused look before leaving. "That was awkward."

Jack mentally slapped himself. "Nice going, idiot."

"Excuse me?" The brunette boy re-opened the door, raising a brow.

Jack blushed heatedly. "N-not you. Me."

"Right. Sure it was."

~o~

Hiccup peeled off his fur vest, pulled off his fur boots and green long-sleeved sweatshirt to take a hot shower. He never had a hot shower before. _It's like being in a summer rain..._ Despite the snow that remains in summer, it was warm enough that it rains instead of snowing. It rarely rains at other seasons like spring and autumn, but it still does, when it wasn't cold enough. _Gods, this feels good..._

Hiccup redresses in a long-sleeved V-neck with brown cuffs on the ends of each sleeves. Still green, only darker. And he pulls on some pants. The boy saw his pet digging through his clothes that he took off earlier. At the last minute, he remembered Heather's little onyx pin. He picked it up from his vest as Toothless was nuzzling it longingly. For the first time, Hiccup got a good look at it. The dragon head had pointed ears, not horns. There were two green, tiny emeralds that paralleled each other that made the eyes. Hiccup knew the dragon and figured the onyx color of the pin wasn't randomnly picked. It was a Nightfury. Hiccup managed to find a very old book about Dragons. They still existed, but for some reasons, they no longer flied. There was a rumor that Berk did it. And although Hiccup didn't doubt it, he wasn't about to blame everything all on Berk. It didn't seem fair to him, even though he wasn't much of a fan of Berk as the other guy. It would be his dying place. Nightfuries are something of a slap in the face to Berk. During the rebellion, Berk bred Dragons as means of travel and to easily burn down their enemies' fort, smaller ones used as carriers of messages when communication technology was down or out of reach, some spies and trackers of the hideouts of the said rebels. Then, the Nightfury freed its Dragon brethrens, because the Dragons are meant to be free. In which after the Dragons made a rebellion of their own and turned against Berk. It gave the rebels time to plan an offensive even if they still lost the war in the end. Berk thereafter took the wings off any Dragon kind they can find that went against them except the monstrous Nightmare that's loyal to the President's family. Yet, they were very unable to capture the Nightfury that was too fast for them to catch.

Hiccup was particularly fond of the Nightfury. It was free, no one could catch him, no one could contain him, and that was what it wanted for all Dragons. Hiccup learned that Dragons aren't violent in nature, only when threatened. It said so in the book. Not that he ever encountered on to test it out, but he believed it. Just like the Nightfury, he wanted freedom. He wanted that for humanity. But unlike it, he wasn't sure how to do that, let alone if he even could. Then again, there wasn't much he could do when he was about to die.

Hiccup smiled at Toothless, showing it to him. "Looks like you, huh bud?"

The green-eyed cat just tilted his head and meowed.

Hiccup heard Tooth's voice from the other room to collect them for supper. The brunette picked up his clothes and dump them on the bed before heading to the door, his eyes on Toothless who was on his heels. "I hope they have some fish for you." He was about to slide the door open when it opened itself, and he was face to face with Jack.

Close enough that they could have brushed lips.

Jack yelped, jumping back and blushing heatedly. "I-I-Sorry, just-Tooth's here to get us for supper." He explained, pulling on his new clothes. A blue hoodie and tight brown jeans. He didn't wear shoes, though. "Just wanted to tell you."

"Uhm, yeah. I heard, so..." Hiccup rubbed his right foot with the tip of the other, fidgeting. He cleared his throat to alleviate the awkwardness. "Thanks anyway, uhm, yeah. Let's go."

~o~

The boys follow Tooth through the narrow, rocking corridor into a dining room with polished paneled walls. There's a table where all dishes are highly breakable. Jack watched every Nightmare Games, and remembered this one time when a Light pulled a chair for Tooth to sit. So he does the same. That Light never made it back, but he made it far for his manners, because it earned him some good sponsors. And that was something. Jack pulled a chair for Hiccup too, he grinned at the boy to make it look like it was just for the fun of it. But he really wanted the boy to go for it, he could at least feel like they were a couple. Hiccup just raised a brow, and looked over to Tooth, who was giggling in amusement. "There are no cameras to tape this, are there?" Hiccup asked. Tooth smirked, shaking her head. The brunette sighed and gave Jack a deadpanned look who still waited. "Fine, only cause there's no cameras. You do this when cameras are rolling, I'll at least try to kill you in there." Hiccup smirked, just to let him know there was no real heat in it. Hiccup sat down, with Jack pushing the chair in for the boy, and Hiccup even pulled the albino's chair out, the one beside him, which for that Jack had no complains. He made a point to bump knees with Hiccup accidentally every now and then. Hiccup didn't seemed fazed, although the cat kept giving him funny looks. Jack chalked it up that cats were suspicous of him in general.

The supper comes in courses. A thick carrot soup, green salad, lamb chops and mashed potatos, cheese and fruit, a chocolate cake. Throughout the meal, Tooth keeps reminding them to save space because there's more to come. But they kept stuffing themselves because they've never had food like this, so good and so much, and because the best thing they can do between now and the Games, especially Hiccup, is put on a few pounds. At one point, Toothless climbed over the table when a huge salmon with melted butter spread over was served, and practically devoured it before Hiccup finally managed to pull him off. Hiccup blushed, Jack stared to remember the cute image for the next few hours before he sleeps and maybe even when he sleeps, and the brunette apologized to Tooth. Who wasn't fazed at all, but was simply gushing at the cat's cuteness.

Now that the meal was over, they boys were fighting to keep the food down. Jack can see Hiccup looking a little green like his shirt. Neither of their stomachs is used to such rich fare. But if Jack can hold Gothi's concoction of mice meat, pig entrails, and tree bark-a winter specialty-and Hiccup can handle eating raw fish from Toothless who threw it up first and had him chew and swallow a bite from the first time he fed him when Val brought it home, then they were determined to hang on to this.

Tooth was being cuddling with the cat before finally handing it back to Hiccup.

"Oh, your cat is just as adorable as you, Hiccup." Tooth smiled warmly. Hiccup had to smile in response. Jack had to agree with that... The part of Hiccup being adorable, Buttercup totally ruined him for ever liking cats. Granted, he thought the jet-black cat was better looking. But seeing as it was Hiccup's cat, maybe it was a bias opinion. "I'm glad you took him with you. It's good to have company from home,"

Jack slumped vaguely at that. _What am I, chopped liver?_

"Thanks Ms. Toothiana..."

"Oh, just call me Tooth,"

"Right..."

They were now in another compartment to watch the recap of the reapings across Burgess. They try to stagger them throughout the day so a person could conceivably watch the whole thing live but only people in Berk could really do that, since none of them attend reapings themselves. Usually, Hiccup would just draw and skipped through this but he didn't have papers now. Or even something to draw with. So he just kept Toothless close, stroking his fur to calm down for the next hour.

One by one, the other reapings are shown, the names called, the volunteers stepping forward or, more often, not. The boys examine the faces of the kids who will be their competition. A few stands out. A monstrous boy who lunges forward to volunteer from District 2. A tiger-faced girl with her red-hair with black streaks bunned up in two over her head from District 5. A boy with a bad arm, like it was in a sling and all from District 10. And most hauntingly for Jack, a twelve year old girl from District 11. She had vanilla-white skin, dark black hair in a ponytail and a bunch of colorful hairclips scattered about, and yellow-green eyes. Very like Emma in size and demeanor. Only when she mounts the stage and they ask for volunteers, all you can hear is the wind whistling through the decrepit buildings around her. There's no one willing to take her place.

Last of all, they show District 12. Aster coming in late. Tooth picking off the names. Emma being called, Jack running forward to volunteer. No one can miss the desperation in his voice as he shoves Emma behind him, as if he was afraid no one will hear and they'll take Emma away. But of course they do hear. Jack sees Jamie pulling Emma off him and watches himself mount the stage. The commentators are not sure what to say about the crowd's refusal to applaud. The silent salute. One says that District 12 has always been a bit backward but that local customs can be charming. Then comes Aster and his accusing stunt. Hiccup being called. No volunteers. The handshake. Then they cut to the anthem again. Snoutlout volunteering too late and the program ends. The albino and The brunette were pretty stiff at that point.

"They're a bit off, but still right, I guess."

Jack looked at Hiccup. "What, who?"

"You know, the charming part." Hiccup offered a small smile that literally killed Jack. As in, his heart stopped. "But I'd say gallant, since this is pertaining to what you did for your sister. That was... Cool of you." That drove the albino completely crazy. Inwardly.

Jack tried to make a joke out of it. "Well, my friends do call me Jack Frost. Guess that explains it." He sort of lied. More like a best friend, than friends.

"You're a kidder, aren't you?" Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Seriously, I was impressed-Erm, sorry, that came out wrong... Not like you were trying to impress anyone of course, it was for your sister entirely and-" He was rambling on now. "Still. Yeah, impressive... Not a lot would have done that selflessly."

Jack smiled softly. "Thanks... And for the record, Snoutlout tell me he wished he could've. It was the thought. He must care a lot about you, too."

"Wait, what?" Hiccup stared at him. "Who told you what? When?"

"Your brother told me he wished he volunteered for you. You heard him yell before we went in the Justice building right?" Jack raised a brow. "And he visited me..." He hesitated to tell him about the part of being asked to take care of Hiccup personally. It might come out wrong and the brunette might have lower self-esteem than ever. Jack was trying to think of a way to do the opposite. "He wanted you to try real hard for him."

Hiccup blinked rapidly. "Wow. Guess that was why he was late..." The brunette looked into Jack's eyes, and was captivated by its likeness to winter. He blushed and shook his head, trying to change topic. "Uhm, so, where's Aster? He's our mentor or something, right?" He dropped Toothless and let him curl up on his feet to a nap.

Jack shrugged, hoping to get into a conversation with him. A casual one. "Last I saw him, he said he was going to take a nap," He said.

"That, or he's just late. I believe either." Hiccup said easily. "He was never one to care about being on time."

Jack snorted. "Or anything for that matter. He's probably painting eggs off again. He's obssess with them, I keep wondering if he painted anyone to death." The two laughed about it, exchanging ideas about what Aster would be doing aside from painting eggs.

Tooth frowned. "But it's sad that he doesn't care about anything at all, isn't it? Not very good, televised or not, he should at least care enough to be on time on important things. It's like he doesn't live anymore. So indifferent, only caring enough to eggs that aren't alive." She said.

"He's always like that." Hiccup shrugged. "Every year."

"Every day." Jack added. He can't help smirking a little. Tooth makes it sound like Aster just has a somewhat under-emotional problem and could be corrected with a few tips.

Tooth sighed. "Yes, how odd you two find it amusing. You know your mentor is your lifeline to the world in these Games. The one who advises you, lines up your sponsors, and dictates the presentation of any gifts. Aster can well be the difference between your life and your death, I wished I had that place because I don't want even one of you sweeties to die." She sobbed.

Then.

"I missed supper, eh?" Aster hopped into the compartment, still painting an egg. He notices Tooth crying. "Hey. Buck up you sad sack, no point crying yet. No one's throat is slitted yet." He then dropped the egg and cursed in frustration. "Oh strewt! Now I need to start over a new one." He turned away and leftt just like that.

Tooth had nothing more to say. Her point was proven, so she just left the boys who no longer felt like laughing. They sat in silent, and the rain stopped for refueling.

**:::::**

Suddenly, everything came crashing down to Jack. He remembered his promises to Emma and Jamie, that he would try to come home with all he got. And although he wished he could keep his promise to Snoutlout, creating an even stronger attachment to the Haddock boy would only kill him inside all the more. Because he knows only one of them can make it back. Still, looking at Hiccup and seeing his fragile state, looking down to his feet, fist clenched on his lap, and sulking... It made the Overland boy want to protect him even more, because there was an instinct inside of Jack to protect those who couldn't do that for themself. He really didn't want to see Hiccup die, but years later, and on the off chance that he won the games, he'd end up mentoring and occasionally go through the recaps of his year when he was in the games. And he'll see how Hiccup died in it everytime.

For the first time, he let his hatred for Berk burn up inside him. Jamie always let it out every now and then at the woods, whilst Jack surpressed it, choosing to keep his head on the game... Literally.

"Bring me home,"

Jack snapped his head up, blinking at Hiccup. "What did you say?"

"Bring me home," Hiccup repeated lowly. "however I die in there, just make sure my body makes it back home, won't you? And maybe... Make sure my brother doesn't eat Toothless... Give it back to the Mayor's daughter, maybe..."

Jack frowned deeply. "You shouldn't count yourself out just yet."

"Really, I shouldn't?" Hiccup deadpanned. "So should I start counting you out? Because if it comes down between us, it's either you or me."

Jack had nothing to respond to that. It seemed that he just had to forget about Hiccup, the boy seemed to have given up already. He looked out the window behind him, and his resolve immediately vanished as it was made. He saw fallen autumn leaves land on a pile of snow. He only saw the image for a moment, because the train is off again. But it's enough. Enough to remind him of those other leaves in the school yard years as Jack had just turned from Hiccup Haddock's bruised face when he saw the leaves, and knew hope wasn't lost. He gathered the pile of leaves and hurried home to have them pressed against thick books from Mr. Overland's collections. And Jack would look at them at nights when he didn't get enough food or game and the like, and his spirits returned. The book he kept the leaves at were of pages of herbs with ink drawings. Neat handwritten blocks told their names, where to gather them, when they came in bloom, their medical uses. Plants for eating, not healing. Dandelions, pokeweed, wild onions, pines. Things Jack would never know if the preservation of the leaves didn't make him open them. And it was another thing that help keep him and his family alive... Another thing Hiccup helped kept him alive for.

The first time Jack went to the woods to gather, he took the time to collect the spear Mr. Overland always used and kept hidden whenever he hunted. As remembrance to his father, Jack never replaced the hiding place. He manage to kill a rabbit on his first time thanks to his father's teachings when he was still alive. They hadn't had meat for months. The sight of the rabbit stirred someting in Mrs. Overland. She roused herself and skinned the carcass and made stew with the meat and some more greens Jack gathered. Then she acted confuse and went back to bed, but when the stew was done, the kids made her eat a bowl.

The woods became their savior. Each day, Jack went farther into them. It was slow-going at first, but he was determined to feed his family. He stole eggs from nests, caught fish in nets, sometimes manage to pin down a squirrel or rqbbit for stew, and gathered various pllants that sprung up beneath his feet. Gathering was never his favorite task, he wasn't one to remember these things easily, many are edible; one false mouthful however can kill, so he forced himself to remember ones that could be fatal or crucial to survival.

On September 12th, Jack went to the Justice building, signed up for his tesserae, and pulled home the first patch of grain and oil in Emma's toy wagon. He never stopped hunting and gathering, the grain was not enough to live on. And there were other things to buy, soap and milk and thread. So he finally started to trade at the hob. People respected him, accepted him. A boy who fought for survival, Mr. Overland's boy.

Things got better, thanks to that hope. Slowly, Mrs. Overland returned to them. She began to clean and cook and preserve some of the food Jack brought in for winter. People traded them or paid money for her medical remedies. One day, they even heard her sing. Emma was thrilled to have her back. Jack felt nothing. He was glad, however, that he somewhat right things with them before he left. Emma would undoubtedly sleep with their mother tonight. The thought of the scruffy old Buttercup posting himself on the bed to watch over Emma comforts him. If she cries he will nose his way into her arms and curl up there until she calms down and fall asleep, Jack was happy he didn't drown him now. Jack's heart ache that he could never, ever return the favor for that hope Hiccup gave that started the chain of change and moving forward. But he wanted to try. If he sees Hiccup die, it will be more painful if he knew he didn't try.

"Well, I guess we should both just give it all we got then-" The Overland boy turned his head, only to see Hiccup making his way to the door already, Toothless on his heels.

Hiccup stopped for a moment."Sure... But I'm not gonna hold my breath."

~o~

The lights were closed in the room and Hiccup left it that way. He stumbled a bit in the dark and curse before he finally made out the outline of his bed. He just wanted to sleep now. It was a very emotional day, it was too much.

 _Why did he have to seem like such a nice guy? Gods,_ Hiccup thinks a he flomped down the bed, thinking about Jack. The reassuring squeeze, making sure Hiccup went out for supper, pulling out the chair, making easy and willing conversations with him on Aster's expense... His attempts to encourage him to not give up easily. It was futile attempts, but the thought of it... He made it more difficult. _I guess we really could've been friends, if that circumstances weren't what they were._ Then again, they only finally got to talking because of this. Hiccup sighed, and curled up. Not surprise to see Toothless already settled in, and somehow the feline got to bring his fur vest up the bed with him. Hiccup wrapped the garment around the cat, pulling over his own sheets up. They both sleep as the train rock them in oblivion.

**:::::**

Gray light is leaking through the curtains when the rapping rouses Hiccup. He hears Tooth's voice calling him to rise. "Sorry, sorry, sorry dear. But it's going to be a big day, you shouldn't miss breakfast." She called sweetly, Hiccup didn't feel the need to whine.

He puts the fur vest back since it's not really dirty, just slightly crumpled from being used as Toothless's cover. His fingers trace the circle around the little onyx Nightfury and he thinks of Heather, therefore, District 12, his family waking up, having to get on with things. He unconciously tugged on the small braid his mother did on him for the reaping yesterday on the very side of his hair. It was barely noticeable at all, but he kept it on to remember Val and the feel of her fingers. They can't be far from Berk now.

As Hiccup enters the dining car, Tooth goes to a chair. Aster is painting an egg while eating a carrot cake. Jack holds a roll and looks somewhat embarrased.

"Sit down! Sit down!" Aster said, waving Hiccup over. The moment he slides into his chair, beside Jack once more, he's serve an enormous platter of food. Eggs, ham, piles of fried potatoes. A tureen of fruits sits in ice to keep it chilled. The basket of rolls sets before him would keep any family going for a week. He was particularly thinking of Jack's family, probably cause said boy was beside him. Suddenly, there's a cup of hot liquid held in front of him. Hiccup turns his head and sees Jack smiling at him.

"They call it Eggnog," said Jack. "Aster's said its good. He's not lying."

Hiccup takes a sip of the hot, creamy liquid and a shudder runs through him. Even though the rest of the meal beckons, he ignored it until he has drained the cup. Then he stuff down every mouthful he can hold, which is a substantial amount being careful to not overdo it on the richest stuff. When Hiccup's stomach feels like it's about to split open, he leans back and take in his breakfast. Jack is still eating, breaking off bits of roll and dipping them in the eggnog. Aster hasn't paid much attention to his platter, just kept painting and painting. Tooth kept telling him to eat, however. Hiccup remembered when he was in the Hob, trading off some fishes he caught, he saw Aster tossing handfuls of money on the counter of the woman who sells eggs. Jack detested Aster as he watched him paint. He thinks it's no wonder the District 12 Lights never stood a chance. It isn't just that they've been underfed and lacked training. Some Lights have still been strong enough to make a go of it. But they rarely get sponsors and he's a big part of the reason why. The rich people who back Lights-either because they're betting on them or simply for the bragging rights of picking a winner-expect someone sociable than Aster to deal with.

"So, you're supposed to give us some advice," Jack said to Aster gruffly. Hiccup looked between the white haired teen to their mentor. "So tip us off."

"Here's a tip for ya, stay alive." Said Aster, with a careless shrug. He holds out the egg he painted out to see it clearer in the light, then resumes his work. Hiccup and Jack exchanges looks. Jack is surprised to see the hardness in Hiccup's eyes and his look of disbelief. He generally seemed mild.

Hiccup looked back at Aster. "That's very funny," he muttered. Suddenly, he lashes out at the egg at Aster's hand. It broke and the yolk splattered out on the floor. Tooth gasped, stunned. "Only not to us."

Aster considers this for a moment, then punches Hiccup in the jaw, knocking him from his chair and the boy lets out a cry of pain. Toothless hissed and lunged at the man in fury, but Aster dodged it easily and the cat landed on Tooth's lap. Jack's eyes widened and he saw red-figuratively and literally. The brunette's upper lip bled slightly, not to mention the bruised cheek. When the tall man makes to grab for a new egg, Jack drives his knife into the table between his fingers. He braces himself to deflect any retaliation but one never comes. Instead, Aster squints his eyes at them and sits back, much to Tooth's relief.

"Well, what's this?" said Aster. "Did Iactually get a pair of fighters this year?"

Jack scowled, ignoring the man as he helped Hiccup back to his chair gently. Hiccup stared at the taller boy in wonder as Jack scoops a handful of ice from under the fruit tureen, and didn't even seemed fazed by the freezing feeling. He held it against the brunette's cheek and wipes of the little blood, Hiccup's cheeks burns heatedly despite the ice.

"Crikey, don't do that." complains Aster, stopping the albino. Jack glared at the man who could careless. "Let the bruise show. The audience will think he got mixed up with another Light before he even made it to the arena."

"That's against the rules," Jack growled as Toothless came over and jumped to Hiccup's shoulder, and he even nuzzled Jack's shoulder for taking care of his master. "we can't have him disqualified and off to a early death." Hiccup blinked and was confused than ever. Oh, sure, he wasn't aware of the rules much so he took Jack's word for it. But that's not the confusing part. _Why in Odin's name did he care so much?_

"Only if they catch him. In which case they didn't since it's just us," They all looked at Tooth. She held up her hands.

"I'm not telling. Of course not. I love Hiccup," She promised. "Trust me, I'm in your side."

Hiccup can't help but smile at that as he hugged Toothless. Jack burned in jealousy that the woman get to say it to the boy easily. "Thanks Tooth." The brunette said.

Aster turned to Jack. "Can you hit anything better with that knife besides a table?" The Spear is his weapon, even Hiccup knew this. Still, Jack demonstrates for them that he can handle a knife well too and yanks the same knife he attempted to stab Aster's hand with off the table, get a grip on the blade, and then throw it into the wall across the room. Jack was actually just hoping to get a good solid stick, but it lodges in the seam between two panels making him look a lot better than he was. Hiccup swallowed, eyeing Jack nervously. The taller boy looked at him and offered a chagrined expression.

Jack spoke. "I'm not gonna do that to you,"

"Right. May Thor stuck you down if you go back on that." Hiccup deadpanned. But it did make him feel better. At least he could cross off being impaled by a knife by Jack from the list of how he could die. "You're pretty good with spears, too. So I've heard. Dad said you never miss a shot, killing off game without breaking their body too bad so we're still able to get out more meat from it." Jack blinked at having the knowledge Hiccup assessed his skills... Well, Hiccup's father, anyway. But Hiccup seemed to agree and it counted for something. He was elated. "He really is." The brunette told Aster.

Jack decided to give a little appraising himself. "Hiccup's smart."

"What?" Hiccup blinked at the turn of conversation.

"And quick," The Overland boy added. "I see him studying in the library a lot. He won a school scavenger hunt wherein the winner takes a basket of fruits, no one stood a chance. He's that clever. And I've heard that when his brother was sick, he managed to take care of the bakery all on his own while his father worked and his mther mostly tended to his brother; he managed to bake three dozens of breads and still have time to craft some tools. Oh, his pretty good at smithing too."

Hiccup pouted at the assessment. "Yeah, some good that is." He snorted. "Like I can kill a person by maybe smart-talking them. Quick? Sure, I can run another Light miles till any Light trying to kill me drops dead in exhaustion assuming they don't give up, or I tire out first."

"You don't have to be sarcastic," Jack frowned. "I'm just saying you have as much chance as I do,"

"I HAVE NEXT TO NO CHANCE! So why not just impale me already?!"

They stared at each other heatedly. Aster rolled his eyes, Tooth pouted in concern. "Oh save the drama for the cameras, you gumbies. Now Hamish, was it?"

The fact that Aster remembered his name surprised Hiccup enough that his anger gave way. "Hiccup is fine," He said.

"Got it. Don't count yourself short, kid. Being clever gets a lot of Lights far, there were a couple Victors who won by using their wits instead of simply fighting everyone off. With smithing, well, there's no forge in the arena, but knowledge on crafts will help a lot. And it's sometimes the best plan of action to be evasive. You've got an edge if your boyfriend here is right about you being quick."

Both boys turned an interesting shade of red. Tooth giggled. Toothless meowed and yawned, not knowing what the humans were talking about. If it wasn't about fish, he could careless.

"He's not my-"

"We're not-"

"I never even-"

"That's not even funny-"

Aster held his hands up. "Call it as I see it." He interrupted. "Now stand over here, both of you." Aster nodded to the middle of the room. The boys obeyed, and the man circled them, prodding them like animals at times, checking our muscles, and Hiccup was surprise Aster even found some in him. Then, the man examine their faces. "Well, you're not entirely hopeless. Seem fit. And once the stylists gets a hold of you lot, you'll be attractive enough. Maybe even get sponsors that way."

Jack doesn't question this. But Hiccup is a bit confused. "Why do we need stylists? I thought this was a battle to the death, not a beauty contest." Eitherway, he still didn't stand a chance. Everyone in the room stared at the boy, dumbfounded. "And why on earth are sponsors so important?"

Jack narrowed his eyes at the boy. "You don't watch the Nightmare Games, do you?" He guessed. That was the only way Hiccup could be ignorant about these basics.

"No, I don't like seeing people kill each other off. So I just draw." Hiccup confirmed, and if possible, Jack found him more adorable, even considering the idea of the boy being an angel. Why else did such a pure person exist in this world

Tooth shrugged, looking at Aster's eyes twitching. "I can just teach him the rules later, while I give lessons on posture and whatnot." She offered.

"All right," Aster sighed. "I'll make a deal with both of you. You don't interfere with my egg painting, and I'll pay attention and care enough to help you," he bargained. "But you have to do exactly what I say." It's not much of a deal, but still a giant step forward from ten minutes ago when they had no guide at all. "And no more impaling my fingers, Snowflake." That was directed to Jack.

"What did you call me?!"

Hiccup had to laugh, and Jack immediately shut up any arguement or any profanities he was going to say. "Fine," He said. "So help us,"

"Yeah," Jack let out his questions. "When we get to the arena, what's the best strategy at the Cornucopia for someone-"

"One thing at a time," Aster halted. "In a few minutes we'll be pulling into the station. You'll be put in the hands of your stylists. You're not going to like what they do to you, I liked it as much as sleigh rides,"

"Sleigh rides?"

Aster continued, undetered. "But no matter what it is, don't resist. Especially you kid," He pointed at Hiccup. "Just go with it, I don't care if you don't know its importance. Just put up with it."

"But-" Hiccup begins.

"No buts, don't resist." Said Aster. He took some eggs to paint and leaves the car. Tooth follows saying she has things to prepare. As the door swings shut behind him, the car goes dark. There are still a few lights inside but outside it's as if night has fallen all ready. They were in the tunnel that runs up through the mountains into Berk. The mountains form a natural barrier between Berk and the eastern districts. It is almost impossible to enter from the east except through the tunnels. This geographical advantage was a major factor in the districts losing the war that led to the boys being Lights today. Since the rebels had to scale the mountains, they were easy targets for Berk's dragon plus air forces. The tunnel goes on and on and Jack thinks of the tons of rock separating him from the sky and his chest tightens. He hated being encased in stone this way, it reminded him of the mines and the thought of his father, trapped, unable to reach sunlight, buried or drowned forever in darkness. He'll never know.

The train finally begins to slow and suddenly bright light floods the compartment. They can't help it. Both Hiccup and Jack run to the window to see what was outside. Berk, the ruling city of Burgess. The cameras haven't lied about the grandeur. If anything, they haven't quite captured the magnificence of the glistening buildings in a rainbow of hues that tower into the air, the shiny cars that roll down the wide paved streets, the oddly dressed people with bizarre hair and painted faces who never missed a meal. All the colors are artificial. The pinks too deep. The greens too bright. The yellows to painful to the eyes. Like the flat round disks of hard candy Jack or Hicccup can never afford to buy at the tiny sweet shop in district 12.

The people begin to point at them eagerly, as they recognized a Light train rolling into the city. Jack was sickened at their excitement and turned away from the windows in disgust, knowing they can't wait to watch the Lights die. Hiccup turned around and slides down against the walls, hugging his knees as Toothless nuzzled him. He was sickened, but for a different reason from Jack's. He was frightened, if the shivering despite the heat of the train was any clue. Jack frowned, knowing the boy's fear. He was scared too but knew he had a chance if he tried hard enough, but Hiccup was a little less than confident.

Hiccup felt a hand on his shoulder, and he looked up to see Jack kneeling before him. He frowned in confusion. _Why? Why is he making this so hard?_ "Jackson, why-"

"Just Jack, please. It's fine, Hiccup."

Hiccup shook his head. "Jack," he granted. "if there was any victor for District twelve this year, it can only be one. Both of us aren't making it back together, and it counts for something that these are the only rules I know."

"Well," Jack smirked. "what if I told you I didn't care about rules?"

Hiccup rolled his eyes, returning the smirk wearily. "Then I would say you're just as bad as Aster." He deadpanned.

Jack laughed at that. "I can live with that," He shrugged.

Not that both of them would be living that long.


	4. The Frostbite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously:
> 
> Hiccup shook his head, "Jack," He granted. "if there was any victor for District Twelve this year, it can only be one. Both of us aren't making it back together, and it counts for something that these are the only rules I know."
> 
> "Well," Jack smirked. "what if I told you I didn't care about rules?"
> 
> Hiccup rolled his eyes, returning the smirk wearily. "Then I would say you're just as bad as Aster," He deadpanned.
> 
> Jack laughed at that. "I can live with that," He shrugged.
> 
> Not that both of them would be living that long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just have to say I'm loving this au lots. For me, Hunger Games seems to be one of the most compatible HiJack au ever, I love it. Tell me what you think of these castings. The () indications are for none Httyd and Rotg characters. Please tell me if you got the costume description. I'll really appreciate it.
> 
> Flynn (Tangled) - Venia
> 
> Monty - Flavius
> 
> Olaf (Frozen) - Octavia
> 
> Elsa (Frozen) - Cinna
> 
> Anna (Frozen) - Portia
> 
> Pitchner Black - President Snow

** The Frostbite **

_R-i-i-i-p!_

Jack grits his teeth as Flynn, a man who gave him a ridiculous pout-like smile as if to flirt when the white-haired teen accidentally blurted out he was gay to when he kept pestering him whether he had a girlfriend or something that he can swoon if he never made it back (which was his initial and usual welcoming), yanks a strip of fabric from his leg, tearing the hair beneath it. Then proceeded to fix his nails, from his fingers and toes, practically plucking them off to be replaced almost instantly by Berk's instant cosmetics. Of course, instant doesn't mean not painful. It was more excruciating than holding dried ice or getting his skin teared when falling on ice. And Jack experienced both. "Sorry," Flynn pipes with a smirk, not very remorse as much as he makes out. "But they look practically dead! It's like you died in a frozen lake."

The Overland boy would've preferred that to this, actually. "Not a bad idea, do you guys have a lake nearby?" He grumbled and winced as the last toe nail was plucked... Then it was his next foot.

Flynn makes what's supposed to be a sympathetic face but it comes out amused. "Good news, though. This is the last one, ready?" Not waiting for an answer, he plucked all the toes out quickly yet perfectly while Jack resisted the urge to howl in pain. It would be pathetic that something like this could put him to so much pain and training hasn't even started yet.

He had been in the Remake Center for more than three hours and Jack still haven't met his stylist. Apparentley, she has no interest to see him until Flynn and the other members of his prep team have addressed some obvious problems. This has included scrubbing down his body down with a gritty foam that has removed not only dirt but at least three layer of skin, smoothening and whitening his nails from its dead, deformed structure while turning them to uniformed shapes, and primarily, ridding his body of hair. Jack's legs, arms, torso, and parts of his eyebrows have been stripped of the stuff, leaving him like a plucked bird, ready for roasting. He didn't like it. His skin tingling and intensly vulnerable. But he had kept his side of the bargain with Aster, and no objection has crossed his lips.

"You're doing very well," says some guy named Monty. He gives his sunny-mango locks a shake. "If there's one thing we can't stand, it's a whiner. Grease him down!"

Flynn and Olaf, a completely white-as in white hair, snow white skin and suit but yellowish nose, rubs Jack down with lotion that first stings but then soothes his raw skin. Then they pull him from the table, removing the thin robe he've been allowed to wear off and on. He stood there, completely nude except for a short towel around his waist down, as the three men circled him. Jack knew he should be embarrassed, but they're so unlike people especially the snowman-like Olaf that Jack was no more self-concious than if a trio of animals were pecking around his feet.

The three step back and admire their work. "Excellent, you almost look like a human being now!" Said Flynn.

Jack made a look. _You should see yourselves,_ but he didn't say that outloud. He liked Monty and Olaf well enough not to make a snappy come back. Flynn was the only annoying one in his book. "Thanks," He muttered. "we don't have much cause to look nice in District Twelve," he said pointedly.

This wins them over completely. "Of course you don't, it's all right though." Monty encouraged.

"Yeah!" Says Olaf. "By the time Elsa is through with you, you're going to be just great! She's the nicest, most warmest person ever!" He said while moving back to reach for a brush when the pointed end of scissors pierced his overcoat. He looked at it and seemly smiled, "Oh look at that. I've been impaled." He said flippantly, pulling it out.

Jack had to laugh a bit. He would have thought Berk people were too caring when it came to clothes. Not Olaf, though. "Let's call Elsa," They give Jack final touches and dart out of the room. It's hard to completely for Jack to hate his prep team. They were charismatic. Jack looks at the white walls and floor and resisted the impulse to retrieve his robe. This Elsa, his stylist, will surely make him remove it once more anyway.

The door opens and a young woman who must be Elsa enters. Jack is taken aback by how normal yet more appealing she is than overdressed Berk people. Flynn was slightly normal looking too but too annoying and flirtatous to seem normal. Most of the stylists they interview on television are so dyed, stenciled, and surgically altered they're grotesque. But Elsa's carefully braided hair raised up slightly together in the back appears to be a natural shade of blond. She's in a fairly simple baby blue dress with long-sleeved and her hands were covered with gloves with a darker hue of blue. The only concession to self-alteration seems to be the longer than usual eye lashes. And despite Jack's disgust to Berk and their hideous fashions and that he preferred guys to girls, he can't help but think how attractive she looks. If she wasn't slightly older or if Hiccup didn't exist at all, the woman might've been capable of straightening him out.

"Hello Jackson, I'm Elsa, your stylist." She says in a polite, elegant voice somewhat lacking in Berk's affectations.

"Hey," Jack ventures cautiously.

"Just give me a moment, all right?" She asked. She walks around his partly naked body, not touching him, but taking in every inch of it with his eyes. Jack resisted the impulse to cover himself. "who did that to your hair?"

Jack raised his hand to the white strands. "I did," he admitted. "A little confusion with white dye and paint." _Will she turn it back to its real color? I think she could, but I don't want her to..._

"Nice touch, it does suit you." As if she heard his thoughts, she added. "so we won't change it back. It'll go well with what I have in mind." Elsa smiled.

Jack had expected someone flamboyant, someone older trying desperately to look young, someone who viewed Jack as a piece of meat to be prepared for a platter. Elsa has met none of these expectations.

"You're new, aren't you?" Jack concluded. "I don't think I've seen you before." Most of the stylists are familiar, constants in the ever-changing pool of Lights. Some have been around Jack's whole life.

"Yes, this is my first year at the Games."

"So they gave you District Twelve?"

Newcomers generally end up with Jack's district, the lest desirable district.

But Elsa surprises Jack. "I asked for District Twelve. I always liked Ice." She said and offered no more explanation than that. "why don t you put on your robe and we'll have a chat?"

Putting on his robe, Jack followed her through the door into a sitting room. Two red couches face off over a low table. Three walls are blank, the fourth is entirely glass, providing a window to the city. Jack can see by the light that it must be around noon, although the sunny sky has turned overcast. Elsa invited Jack to sit on one of the couches and takes her place across of him. She presses a button on the side of the table. The top splits and from below rises a second tabletop that holds their and chunks of oranges cooked in a creamy sauce laid on a bed of pearly white grain, tiny green peas and onions, rolls shaped like flowers, and for dessert, a pudding the color of honey. Jack tried to imagine assembling this meal himself back home. Chickens are too expensive, but he could make do with a wild turkey. Jack would need to shoot a second turkey to trade for an orange. Goat's milk would have to substitute for cream. They can grow peas in the garden. I'd have to get wild onions from the woods. Jack doesn't recognize the grain, their own tessera ration cooks down to an unattractive brown mush. Fancy rolls would mean another trade with the baker, perhaps for two or three squirrels. As for the pudding, Jack can't even guess what's in it. Days of hunting and gathering for this one meal and even then it would be a poor substitution for Berk's version.

 _What must it be like,_ Jack wondered, _to live in a world where food appears at the press of a button?_ How would people like Jack spend the hours they now commit to combing the woods for sustenance if it were so easy to come by? What do they do all day, these people in the Berk, besides decorating their bodies and waiting around for a new shipment of Lights to roll in and die for their entertainment?

Jack looks up and find Elsa's eyes trained on his. "How despicable we must seem to you," she says.

Jack blinked. _Has she seen this in my face or somehow read my thoughts?_ She's right, though. The whole rotten lot of them is despicable, when he didn't count his prep team. Even Flynn seemed decent enough to say he was never really fond of styling people who would just die later. He said it rudely, but there was a hint of remorse in it that Jack didn't notice then.

"No matter," says Elsa. "So, Jackson,"

Jack interrupted her. "Just Jack is fine."

"Very well, then." Elsa smiled. "Jack about your costume for the opening ceremonies. My sister, Anna, is the stylist for your fellow Light, Hamish. And our current thought is to dress you in complementary costumes," says the silver blond stylist. "As you know, it's customary to reflect the flavor of the district. For the opening ceremonies, you're supposed to wear something that suggests your district's principal industry."

Jack indeed knew. District 11, agriculture. District 4, crafting. District 3, factories. This means that coming from District 12, Hiccup and Jack will be in some kind of ice scavenger's getup. Since the baggy scavenger baggy coats are not particularly becoming, their Lights usually end up in skimpy outfits and hoe with headlamps. One year, their Lights were forced to wear a bluish transparent cube that was suppose to represent an ice cube. It's always dreadful and does nothing to win favor with the crowd. Jack prepares himself for the worst.

"So, I'll be in a scavenger outfit?" He asked, hoping it won't be indecent.

Elsa scrunched her nose at the idea. "Not exactly. You see, Anna and I think that overcoat thing is very overdone. You might as well have brought your own suits all the way here if we went with that," Jack flushed, because he didn't have the uniform at all. "No one will remember you in that. And we both see it as our job to make the District Twelve Lights unforgettable," says the silver blond.

 _I'll be naked for sure,_ Jack thinks.

"So rather than focus on the ice scavenging itself, we're going to focus on the ice,"

 _Naked and covered in white powder,_ Jack concluded, grimacing.

"And what do we do with ice? We light it," Elsa smirked. "You've never seen or heard of laser light, have you Jack?" She sees Jack's expression and grins.

:::::

A few hours later, Jack dressed in what will either be the most sensational or the most freezing costume in the opening ceremonies. He's in a simple white tunic-like hoodie with actual ice that covers him. Not like the transparent bluish plastic. Actual solid ice adorned his outfit, how they managed it escaped him, from ankle to neck. Shiny ice-covered leather boots lace up to his knees. But it's the fluttering cape made of streams of white, gray, and blue and the matching headpiece with a crystal ice above it that defines this costume. Elsa plans to have a laser beam light directed to the centerpiece to cause a surprise. Jack didn't know the surprise, but based on his general knowledge of a laser, he had a feeling he would explode.

"It's not gonna hurt, of course, how are you holding up with the ice?" Elsa place her hand on her chin. "move for me,"

Jack gave her a look and stiffly albeit numbly raised his arms, as if to say, _You think this is easy?_ But he doesn't say anything, going through Aster's bargain. He needed cooperation from the mentor badly if he didn't freeze to death. He doubted this outfit would say much. _What was the difference from the ice cube bit?_

Jack's hair has been spiked out and shined with gel to make it look like icicles.

"I want the audience to recognize you when you're in the arena," says Elsa dreamily. "Jack, A.K.A, the living Frostbite."

It crosses Jack's mind that Elsa's calm and courteous demeanor masks a complete madman-well woman.

Before he can complain furthur, the white haired teen hears a familiar voice, Hiccup's, and he feels relieved. He turned around to where he heard the voice. Jack stopped and he forgets to breath when he sees the boy in his costume. Unlike Jack, he wasn't covered in ice. While Jack wore an outfit that reflected ice, Hiccup wore snow-white dress clothes. A turtleneck under garment, long sleeved gloves that covered his arms except his shoulders, slightly loose silk white pants, the focus of his costume large almost fluffy cloak with sparkling patterns adorning the end of the cape-like garment, green abstract triangles, orange dotted circles, and redish-yellow diamonds. Not too flashy and a bit vague but noticeable enough to see the colors. Hiccup's costume was a reflection of snow covering spring grass, summer's sand, and the white haired's personal favorite for many reasons, autumn leaves. Unlike other districts, theirs were known for having snow all year around. They didn't really have sand in summer, but it's the symbol. Hiccup was the weather of District 12. Jack saw that he had a device on the circle emerald holding his cloak together to across his shoulder blades, like Elsa told him the device was the laser beam for the presentation for which he had no idea what it even was. He only knew one thing.

Hiccup was going to face his body Jack's way the entire time.

~o~

Hiccup was rubbing his skin still from the treatment earlier. Most of his prep team wanted to get rid of his freckles, but his nicer stylist, Anna, said he looked adorable with them. He would complain, but he didn't want to go through any treatment that get rids of freckles. His stylist, Anna, and her team accompany him in, and everyone is absolutely giddy with excitement over what a surprise they'll make. Except Elsa. She remains poise and polite as she accepts congratulations.

Hiccup walked up to Jack, raising a brow at how odd he found the unblinking eyes of the ice look-alike. They were whisked down to the bottom level of the Remake Center, which is essentially a gigantic stable. The opening ceremonies are about to start. Pairs of Lights are being loaded into chariots pulled by teams of four horses. District 12's are snow white stallions. The animals are so well trained, no one even needs to guide their reins. Elsa and Anna direct them into the chariot and carefully arranged the boys' positions to face each other, making sure Hiccup's emerald was in the right angle for the surprise, whatever that is.

Hiccup noticed Jack trying to tone done his shivers and tried to distract him from shivering. "You cold?" He smirked snarkily. Okay not really.

"Wiseguy," He huffed, trying not to crack his voice or shudder. "you got it easy, don't have to be covered in ice the whole time." Jack complained. "your snow is not even real snow."

Hiccup smirked. "For the record, I think you'll attract the most attention between us. My outfit doesn't really say much as compared to yours. Plus the hair is really a statement." He pointed out.

"What are you talking about, you're completely attractive!" Jack blurted out, his eyes widening at the outburst. Hiccup raised a brow. "I-I mean I-It'll death by ice to me and I'll be a corpse, nothing attracting about that and you'll be a snowangel with your cloak looking like you're in a dress and-wait no I mean-" The boy fumbled with his words.

Hiccup held his hand up, "Okay Frostbite, stop talking. I think the ice is making its way to freezing you brain." He smirked.

"Frostbite?"

"Heard Elsa calling you that," The Haddock boy shrugged.

Jack seemed to accept that explanation. "So, what do you think?" He whispered to Hiccup.

"About the laser?" Hiccup shrugged. "I don't think it's the one that kills. Just lighting,"

"When does it lit?"

"I don't know when but Anna told me it'll come at the right moment. I still don't know what it'll do about presentation. But don't worry, I'll gather your bits and pieces if you explode."

"Jeez, thanks. I know we promised Aster we'd do exactly what they said, but I don t think he considered this angle."

"Where is Aster, anyway? Isn't he supposed to be here?"

Before more words were spoken, the opening music begins. It's easy to hear, blasted around Berk. Massive doors slide open revealing the crowd-lined streets. The ride lasts about twenty minutes and ends up at the City Circle, where they will welcome the Lights, play the anthem, and escort them into the Training Center, which will be their home/prison until the Games begin.

The Lights from District 1 ride out in a chariot pulled by their horses. They look so beautiful, spray-painted silver, in tasteful tunics glittering with jewels. District 1 makes luxury items for the Capitol. The roar of the crowd can be heard. They are always favorites.

District 2 gets into position to follow them. In no time at all, Hiccup and Jack are approaching the door and Hiccup can see that between the overcast sky and evening hour the light is turning gray. The Lights from District 11 are just rolling out when Anna appears and says to both of them.

"Remember, heads high. Smiles. They're going to love you!"

Anna jumps off the chariot and tells the boys to face each other, which they did. Then the brunette has one last idea shouts something up at them, but the music drowns her out. She shouts again and makes gestures.

"What's she saying?" Jack asked. "She's your stylist." And I wouldn't complain at all. You look great.

"I think she said for us to hold hands," says Hiccup. He hesistantly took both Jack's hands in his, the white haired teen blushed heatedly which Hiccup didn't noticed as he looks to Anna for confirmation. She nods and gives a thumbs-up, and that's the last thing he sees before they enter the city.

Hiccup yelped, having trouble staying on due to his disoriented nature, not t mention clumsy. But Jack had a firm grip on him and even promised not to let him fall till the whole thing was over. Every head is turned their way, pulling the focus from the three chariots ahead of us. At first, Hiccup is frozen, but then he then noticed a red beam darting directly up Jack's headpiece and gaped at the surprise presentation.

Hiccup couldn't tear his eyes away as Jack's center piece creates auroras. Actual auroras just above him! Then to Hiccup's surprise, more lasers come from his cloak's cape's patterns towards the albino's full form, to his ice costume. Creating a fog-like presentation around them. They seem to be leaving a trail of rainbow on their path

The Haddock took in Jack' appearance for the first time. He really was a good-looking boy, he understood why the girls in school fawned over him as much as they did for the most popular boy, Jamie Bennette. Jack was really a catch, very much strong in physique and not too bulky, making him have a clean and youthful form. _He's very handsome..._

Hiccup blinked at his train of thoughts. _He's a guy!_ The boy reminded himself. But too late, the thought was in his head. _Well, guess there isn't anything wrong to think he was handsome. Truth was truth. And he did say I was adorable too..._

Okay, Hiccup decided to stop thinking. Then he recalled Anna's instructions.

_Remember, heads high. Smiles. They're going to love you!_

Hiccup attempted to do that just to get his thoughts thoughts straight (pun totally unintended) but when he turned his head to Berk, he ended up almost swirling all the way with his body when they got to a bumpy part, bringing Jack with him. Instead of falling and ruining the presentation like he thought, bringing Jack to turn with him actual helped equilibrium and he was set on keeping his promise to make sure Hiccup doesn't fall till the end of this. Because of the spin, it cause more good than damage, because it appeared as if they created a rainbow tornado.

~o~

The people of Berk are going nuts, showering them with flowers, shouting their names, the first names, which they have bothered to find on the program. The pounding music, the cheers, the admiration never work their way into either of the boy's, because they were focused to each other's eyes. Jack mesmerized by Hiccup's forest emeralds, and the brunette captivated by the albino's icicle sapphires. Elsa and Anna has definitely given them a great advantage. No one will forget them. Not their looks, not their names.

_Jackson Overland._

_The living Frostbite._

It's not until they've enter the City Circle that Jack realize he was making Hiccup dizzy with the continous spinning. As they almost neared the center line up, Jack pulled Hiccup into him, and kept him steady throughout the program. He was elated when Hiccup snuggled into him more.

"Now there's the Spirit of the games, two partner Lights supporting each other in the heat-or coldness-of the competitions! It just says _'I'm proud to be District Twelve'_ Lovely! They definitely earned the title of Lights."

The twelve chariots fill the loop of the City Circle. On the buildings that surround the Circle, every window is packed with the most prestigious citizens of the Berk. District 12's horses pull our chariot right up to President Pitchner Black's mansion, and the boys' comes to a halt. "Sorry," Jack muttered to Hiccup, as he realized that the boy was pressed up on his person and therefore to cold ice. "I made you cold," He was about to let go but Hiccup didn't allow it to his surprise. If any, the brunette held on.

"Still dizzy, The ice helps," Hiccup muttered queasily. "Besides, you promised not to let me go and fall."

So Jack keeps holding on, but can't help feeling strange about the way Anna has linked them together. It's not really fair to present them as a team and then lock them into the arena to kill each other. The music then ends in flourish. The president, a tall, thin man with ashen-black hair, gives the official welcome from a balcony above them, his Nightmare by his side for any rioteers, if any. It is traditional to cut away to the faces of the Lights during the speech. But Jack can see on the screen that they were getting way more than their share of airtime. The darker it becomes, the more difficult it is to take your eyes off their lights. When the national anthem plays, they do make an effort to do a quick cut around to each pair of Lights, but the camera holds on the District 12 chariot as it parades around the circle one final time, Jack positioning Hiccup so the lasers still hits and reflects an his ice to make final auroras and they disappear into the Training Center.

:::::

The doors have only just shut behind them when Jack's Olaf brings a small flamethrower to get rid of his ice and the boy is finally able to reheat, the ice melting to Hiccup's skin. Flynn and Monty then chases Olaf as his outfit was suddenly caught in fire.

If Hiccup took his time, he'd notice a lot of the other Lights are shooting them dirty looks, which confirms what he have suspected, that they literally outshone them all. But seriously, his attention was only at the boy who held him close in his arms. Such strong arms, a very sturdy chest, broad shoulders, strong body built... It was the first time he ever felt that way.

"You still dizzy?"

Hiccup blinked and turned bright red, pulling away from Jack. At that moment, Toothless jumped off Anna's arms and bounded up into his master's arms.

"Erm, I-yeah, no. I'm fine now." The brunette said sheepishly, stroking Toothless behind the ears. "How pathetic... For getting a little shaky there,"

"I noticed, but don't worry." Jack smiled. "I think it helped more. The crowd seemed to like it." He chuckled

Hiccup smiled back shyly. "In any case, thank you."

"Huh, what for?"

"For keeping your promise, you didn't make me fall till the end of it." At that, Hiccup walked away from him.

Jack blinked rapidly, going through the brunette's words. "Hey wait!" He went after him. "I didn't even let you fall at all. What do you mean the 'till the end of it' part?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Little did the either of them know Hiccup did fell at one point... He fell head over heels for the Frostbite.

The hard part now was him coming to terms with it. But Hiccup knew it wouldn't have mattered either way, no matter what edge Elsa and Anna gave them, it didn't change the rules to the competitions.

"Hiccup, wait." Jack caught his shoulder. "let me also thank you."

It was Hiccup's turn to be confused. "For what?"

"For... For before," Jack rubbed the back of his head shyly. "I should've done this a long time ago, but now was the only time I got this close enough to do it."

"Do wha-?" Hiccup trailed off as Jack planted a kiss on his cheek, right where the bruise was. The brunette's eyes widened in surprise.

Jack pulled away, smiling shyly. The prep team gaped. Anna gushed and wondered where the cameras were. Elsa remained calm but slightly stunned. "Thank you. For the bread, you kept me going. I wouldn't be alive if not for you. So I wanted to thank you."

Hiccup stared at the boy blankly before snapping at him. "YOU COULD'VE DONE THAT WITHOUT KISSING! Seriously, and isn't it too late for that gratitude? I'll be killed in a few weeks! Thanks for making one kissing joke out of this!" He huffed and trudged off.

Jack eyes widened in hurt. "But... The kiss wasn't a joke..." But it was too low for anyone to hear.

_These feelings... Whatever they are... To hell with it._

To Hiccup, there was no point of having come to terms with it, there was no point in a confession if it was confirmed. There was no future for him with Jack and there was never going to be... Ever. Not where they were going.

Besides, he wasn't gay.


	5. The Sandys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously:
> 
> Jack eyes widened in hurt. "But... The kiss wasn't a joke..." But it was too low for anyone to hear.
> 
> These feelings... Whatever they are... To hell with it.
> 
> To Hiccup, there was no point of having come to terms with it, there was no point in a confession if it was confirmed. There was no future for him with Jack and there was never going to be... Ever. Not where they were going.
> 
> Besides, he wasn't gay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sandys (yeah, like Sandy the silent Sandman) - Avox woman
> 
> Fishlegs - Delly 
> 
> (Oh yeah, the Nightmare games is initially posted in fanfiction . net and it's up to 32 chapters there so feel free to check it out there. What I'm doing posting it here is also for the purpose of proofreading it.)

** The Sandys **

No matter how hard he tried, Hiccup couldn't stop thinking of Jack. But not in the pre-romantic way. No, definitely not that. That was never happening, it was impossible. They were both guys. He grew up being taught that to like the same gender was unheard of. Besides, where Hiccup was headed weeks after training and one interview comes the bloodbath, he didn't need more reasons for suffering...

 _No! It wasn't suffering!_ Hiccup snapped to himself. _Not liking a guy is not gonna make me suffer, I'm just making things less difficult for me, yeah, that's it..._

Hiccup decided he wasn't going to feel guilty about this any longer. He did nothing wrong, except... Maybe he did hurt Jack's feelings. So far, he learned that the boy had a playful nature and somewhat affectionate-protective one. Why else would he have taken his sister's place in an instant? He was thankful and the kiss was probably his playful way of going on about it. He probably didn't mean anything about it even. Lashing out on him was probably unnecessary... Before the brunette could think about it more, Tooth checks on his re-dressing and tells him they needed to proceed to the Training Center. He adjusted his pin and beckoned to Toothless to follow him out. Although he was a bit reluctant to leave Hiccup's nice room.

Hiccup's quarters are larger than his entire house back home. They are plush, like the train car, but also have so many automatic gadgets that he's sure he won't have time to press all the buttons. The shower alone has a panel with more than a hundred options you can choose regulating water temperature, pressure, soaps, shampoos, scents, oils, and massaging sponges. When you step out on a mat, heaters come on that blow-dry your body. Instead of struggling with the knots in his wet hair, Hiccup merely places his hand on a box that sends a current through his scalp, untangling, parting, and drying his hair almost instantly. For dressing, he only had to program the closet for an outfit to his taste. The windows zoom in and out on parts of the city at his command. He needs only whisper a type of food from a gigantic menu into a mouthpiece and it appears, hot and steamy, before you in less than a minute. But right now, he has to eat with the others.

The Training Center has a tower designed exclusively for the Lights and their teams. This will be their home until the actual Games begin. Each district has an entire floor. Just simply step onto an elevator and press the number of the designated district. Easy enough to remember. Hiccup have ridden the elevator a couple of times in the Justice Building back in District 12. Once when he came with his father to pick up his cousin and sign the adoption papers and then yesterday to say his final goodbyes to his friend, Heather, and family. But that's a dark and creaky thing that moves like a snail and smells of sour milk. The walls of this elevator are made of crystal so that you can watch the people on the ground floor shrink to ants as you shoot up into the air. It's exhilarating and he's tempted to ask Tooth if they can ride it again, but somehow that seems childish. So he stepped out of the elevator and went through a hall after Tooth.

Suddenly, without being prepared for it, Hiccup was once again face to face with Jack. The white haired teen blinked his eyes upon seeing the boy as if to ascertain it was really Hiccup. Tooth noticed and being filled in with what happened earlier, she left them alone. Jack was running a hand through his hair, trying to find his words. The brunette sighed and decided to break the ice. Pun unintended.

"Don't you ever wear shoes?"

Jack puzzled over the question a moment before rambling. "Uhm-I-well I just like going barefooted, it makes me comfortable-Not that I'm uncomfortable now! I mean, why would I be uncomfortable now around you?" He went on. "It just makes me relax better and I-well-If it bothers you I could put some on-"

Well, maybe tried to break the ice was a more accurate statement. Hiccup exchanged glances with Toothless. The cat's expression was something like _He's your kind. Deal with him._

"Back up Jack, I didn't even say anything about being barefooted bothering me. Slow down."

Jack flushed heatedly. "Look, Hiccup... About what happened back there..."

"Yeah, about that," Hiccup held up a hand. "look, we don't have to talk about it now. My mind is still trying to put my thoughts together and I rather have it sorted before we talk about it. Anyway, I'm not upset about it now. Just let me think,"

Jack swings his leg as if to kick some non-existant space. "Yeah... Think... Sure, I can let you do that..." He said dejectedly, turning around and following where Tooth went. Hiccup went after him, nudging his arm. "what?"

"You don't have to sulk. It's just me. Not like a girlfriend dumped you or anything,"

Jack pouted. "I wouldn't be sure about that."

:::::

Apparentley, Tooth's duties did not conclude at the station. She and Aster will be overseeing Jack and Hiccup right into the arena. That's a plus because at least she can be counted on to corral the boys around to places on time whereas they haven't even seen Aster since he agreed to help them on the train. Probably painting out somewhere.

Tooth, on the other hand, was supportive and proud of that splash at the opening ceremonies. She compliments not just the costumes but how they conducted ourselves. Cooperating well with the prep teams. And Tooth knows everyone who's anyone in Berk and has been talking them up all day, trying to win them sponsors. Hiccup was up to speed of their importance by Anna before the ceremony, so he knew the big deal about not messing their entrance up.

"I've been very mysterious, though," she says, her eyes squint half shut. "Because, of course, Aster hasn't told me your strategies. But I've done my best with what I had to work with. How Jack sacrificed himself for his sister. How Hiccup was quite clever winning a scavenger hunt."

Hiccup's shoulders slumped a bit. "My bit seems to less a patronizing deed in comparison..." He muttered.

"You managed to bring fruits home to your family. A basket," Jack inputted. "That's a big deal in our district. That time, you fed them more fruits than a family could every expect to get in two months. Even if they did hunt."

The brunette shrugged. "It's not a real occupation hazard or a startling feat, not like I can keep it up even if I wanted to. The scavenger hunt was a one time District thing." He said dejectedly and Toothless chose that moment to jump into his arms.

"It's what you did that counted, and you did that without shedding blood." Jack chanced a smile at the boy. "that's purity. Not so easy to have that in tact at this world."

Hiccup flushed at how tenderly he said that. "Fine, I'll bite."

"Like a Frostbite?" Jack grinned cockily.

The brunette face palmed-or fur palmed, since he buried his face to Toothless-and groaned. "Jack, really? You did not just say that."

"What?"

"Man, that was lame."

"Hey, I like to see you do better."

"Actually, I probably can, and I can do that without you fur-palming."

The boys smiled.

And evidently, so did Tooth, seeing the tension between the boys alleviate. "Everyone has their reservations, naturally. You being from the ice district. Usually for food preservation here and at a better point, air condition. But every place worked with what they have, I told them."

For example, District 1 that can turn graphite into diamonds. District 13's job was to supply the graphite until they were destroyed.

"Unfortunately, I can't seal the sponsor deals for you. Only Aster can do that," sighs Tooth wearily. "But don't worry, I'll get him to the table at gunpoint if necessary. But we'll get to that after you boys have eaten, and I'll have someone fetch Aster too. He needs to eat." In many departments, Tooth has a certain motherly determination anyone has to admire.

:::::

Elsa and Anna were standing out on a balcony that overlooks Berk when the three enter the dining room. Hiccup's glad to see the stylists, particularly after hearing that Aster will be joining them. A meal presided over by just Jack, Tooth and Aster is bound to be a disaster like the one at the train. Besides, dinner isn't really about food, it's about planning out strategies, and Elsa and Anna have already proven how valuable they are.

A silent young man dressed in a golden-yellow tunic offers them all stemmed glasses of wine. Hiccup thinks about turning it down, but he never had wine, except the homemade stuff his mother uses for coughs, and when will he get a chance to try it? He takes a sip of the tart, dry liquid and secretly think it could be improved by a few spoonfuls of honey.

Aster shows up just as dinner is being served. It looks as if he's had his own stylist because he's clean and groomed and about as sober as the boys have ever seen him. Maybe he really will pull himself together long enough to help them.

Elsa and Anna seem to have a civilizing effect on Aster. At least they're addressing each other decently. And they both have nothing but praise for the stylists' opening act. While they make small talk, Hiccup concentrates on the meal. Mushroom soup, bitter greens with tomatoes the size of peas, rare roast beef sliced as thin as paper, noodles in a green sauce, cheese that melts on your tongue served with sweet blue grapes. The servers, all young people dressed in golden-yellow tunics like the one who gave the wine, move wordlessly to and from the table, keeping the platters and glasses full. About halfway through Hiccup's glass of wine, his head starts feeling foggy, so he changes to water instead. He doesn't like the feeling and hope it wears off soon. Toothless eating fishes whole didn't really help.

He tries to focus on the talk, which has turned to their interview costumes, when a boy sets a gorgeous-looking cake on the table and deftly lights it. It blazes up and then the flames flicker around the edges awhile until it finally goes out. Hiccup has a moment of doubt. "What makes it burn? Is it alcohol?" He asked, looking up at the boy. "That's the last thing I wa—oh! I know you!" He couldn't place a name or time to the boy's face. But he's certain of it. The wavy sunny-blond hair, the striking features, the yellowish flesh skin. But even as Hiccup utters the words, he feels his insides contracting with anxiety and guilt at the sight of him, and while he can't pull it up, he knew some bad memory is associated with the boy. The expression of terror that crosses his face only adds to the confusion and unease. He shakes his head in denial quickly and hurries away from the table.

When the brunette looks back, the four adults are watching him like hawks.

"Are you certain, Hiccup. How could you possibly know a Sandys?" frets Anna. "The very thought."

"What's a Sandys?" He ask stupidly.

"Someone who committed a crime. They bloody cut his tongue so he can't speak," says Aster. "he's probably a traitor of some sort. Not likely you'd know him."

"And even if you did, you're not to speak to one of them unless it's to give an order," says Tooth. "Of course, you don't really know him."

 _But I do know him._ And now that Aster has mentioned the word traitor Hiccup remembers from where. The disapproval is so high he could never admit it. "No, I guess not, I just—" He stammers, and the wine is not helping.

Jack snaps his fingers. "Probably Fishlegs. That's who it is. I kept thinking he looked familiar as well. Then I realized he's a dead ringer for Fishlegs."

Fishlegs is a stout boy with yellowish hair who looks about as much like our server as a beetle does a butterfly. He may also be the most pacifist person on the planet—he avoids fights like a fly should avoid a venus-flytrap. But Hiccup jumps on Jack's suggestion gratefully. "Of course, that's who I was thinking of. It must be the hair," He says. The hair was about right anyway.

"Something about the shape, too," says Jack.

The energy at the table relaxes. "Oh, well. If that's all it is," says Elsa. "And yes, the cake has spirits, but just enough to have a chilly bite to it. I ordered it specially in honor of your icy debut."

They eat the cake and move into a sitting room to watch the replay of the opening ceremonies that's being broadcast. A few of the other couples make a nice impression, but none of them can hold an icicle to the boys. Even their own party lets out an "Ahh!" as they show them coming out for their turn.

"Whose idea was the hand holding?" asks Aster.

"Elsa's," says Anna.

"Just the perfect bloody touch of rebellion," says Aster. "Very nice."

 _Rebellion?_ Hiccup has to think about that one a moment. But then he remembers the other couples, standing stiffly apart, never touching or acknowledging each other, as if their fellow Light did not exist, as if the Games had already begun, Hiccup knows what Aster means. It was odd, because they were the same gender yet they held on to each other while the more assuming boy-girl pairs rejected each other's support. Presenting ourselves not as adversaries but as friends has distinguished us as much as the icy costumes.

"Tomorrow morning is the first training session. Meet me for breakfast and I'll tell you exactly how I want you gumbies to play it," says Aster to Hiccup and Jack. "Now go get some sleep while the grown-ups talk."

Hiccup and Jack walks together down the corridor to their rooms with Toothless between them. When they get to the brunette's door, Jack leans against the frame, not blocking the brunette's entrance exactly but insisting he paid attention to him. "So, Fishlegs. Imagine finding his lookalike here."

He's asking for an explanation, and Hiccup's tempted to give him one. They both knew Jack covered for him.

_If I tell him the truth about the boy, how can it hurt really? Even if he repeated the story, it couldn't do me much harm. It was just something I witnessed. And he lied as much as I did about Fishlegs._

Hiccup realize he did want to talk to someone about the boy. Someone who might be able to help him figure out his story.

Toothless would be his first choice, but it's unlikely he'll ever get a decent response out of a cat.

Besides, the idea of the boy with his maimed tongue frightens Hiccup. He has reminded the brunette why he was here. Not to model flashy costumes and eat delicacies. But to die a bloody death while the crowds urge on the killer.

 _To tell or not to tell?_ His brain still feels slow from the wine. He stared down the empty corridor as if the decision lies there.

Jack picks up on the hesitation. "Have you been on the roof yet?" Hiccup shakes his head. "Elsa showed me. You can practically see the whole city. The wind's a bit loud, though."

Hiccup translates this into _No one will overhear us talking in his head._ He did have the sense that they might be under surveillance here. "Can we just go up?"

"Sure, come on," says the albino, going ahead. Hiccup looked down at Toothless, hoping he'd come along for moral support. He was still slightly uncomfortable with the Overland boy. To answer, Toothless proceeded into Hiccup's room; he was given with a dog door-or in his case, a cat door.

Hiccup pouted. "Thank you for nothing you useless feline," He sighed and trudged after Jack to a flight of stairs that lead to the roof. There's a small dome-shaped room with a door to the outside. As they step into the cool, windy evening air, Hiccup catched his breath at the view. Berk twinkles like a vast field of fireflies. Electricity in District 12 comes and goes, usually they only have it a few hours a day. Often the evenings are spent in candlelight. The only time you can count on it is when they're airing the Games or some important government message on television that it's mandatory to watch. But here there would be no shortage. Ever.

Hiccup and Jack walks to a railing at the edge of the roof. The brunette looks straight down the side of the building to the street, which is buzzing with people. Their cars can be heard, an occasional shout, and a strange metallic tinkling. In District 12, they'd all be thinking about bed right now.

"I asked Elsa why they let us up here. Weren't they worried that some of the Lights might decide to jump right over the side?" says Jack.

"What'd she say?" Hiccup asked.

"You can't," says Jack. He holds out his hand into seemingly empty space. There's a sharp zap and he jerks it back. "Some kind of electric field throws you back on the roof."

"Always worried about our safety," Hiccup snarkily muttered. Even though Elsa has shown Jack the roof, he wondered if they were supposed to be up here now, so late and alone. He never saw Lights on the Training Center roof before. But that doesn't mean they were not being taped. "Do you think they're watching us now?"

"Maybe," he admits. "Come see the garden."

On the other side of the dome, they've built a garden with flower beds and potted trees. From the branches hang hundreds of wind chimes, which account for the tinkling Hiccup heard. Here in the garden, on this windy night, it's enough to drown out two people who are trying not to be heard. Jack looks at Hiccup expectantly.

The brunette pretends to examine a blossom. "We were hunting in the woods one day. Hidden, waiting for game," He whispered.

"You and your brother?" Jack whispers back.

"No, my father Stoick. Snoutlout still had Uncle Spitelout then. Dad tried seeing if I could finally hunt on my own." Hiccup clarified. "Suddenly all the birds stopped singing at once. Except one. As if it were giving a warning call. And then we saw him. I'm sure it was the same boy. A dragon was with him. His clothes were tattered. He had dark circles under his eyes from no sleep. They were running as if their lives depended on it," He says.

For a moment he's silent, as he remembered how the sight of this strange pair, clearly not from District 12, fleeing through the woods immobilized the Haddocks. Later, they wondered if they could have helped them escape. Perhaps they might have. Concealed them. If they'd moved quickly. Hiccup and his father were taken by surprise, yes, but one of them were hunters. Stoick knew how animals look at bay. Stoick knew the pair was in trouble as soon as he saw them. But they only watched.

"The hovercraft appeared out of nowhere," Hiccup continue to Jack, shivering. Jack wanted to put his arms around him, but he didn't want to risk it again. "I mean, one moment the sky was empty and the next it was there. It didn't make a sound, but they saw it. A net dropped down on the boy and carried him up, fast, so fast like the elevator. They shot some sort of spear through the Dragon, I think it was a Sibbleback type if the book I read got it right. They'd probably fly if the Dragon could. The spear was attached to a cable and they hauled it up as well. But I'm certain it was dead. We heard the boy scream once. The Dragon's name, I think. Then it was gone, the hovercraft. Vanished into thin air. And the birds began to sing again, as if nothing had happened."

"Did he see you?"

"I don't know. We were under a shelf of rock,"

But he does know. There was a moment, after the birdcall, but before the hovercraft, where the boy had seen them. He'd locked eyes with Hiccup and called out for help. But neither he or Stoick had responded.

"You're shivering," Jack frowned. "can I? Uhm-if you don't mind, that is..." He opened his arms, then dropping almost instantly.

The wind and the story have blown all the warmth from Hiccup's body. The boy's scream. Had it been his last? Jack takes off his jacket, a blue hoodie remaining since Berk was cold at night to require two layer of clothing, something the brunette would know if he ever watched the Nightmare Games, and puts it around the smaller male's shoulders. Hiccup starts to take a step back, but then lets him, deciding for a moment to accept both his hoodie and his kindness. _A friend would do that, right?_ Unconciously, he brought his arms around his shoulders and leaned into Jack. The albino said nothing. The blush said it all if Hiccup took the time to look at his face.

"They were from here?" Jack asks, and he secures a button at his neck.

Hiccup nodded. He had Berk look about him. And he even had a Dragon. They were still treated as pets for those rich enough to have them.

"Where do you suppose they were going?" he asks.

"I don't know that," Hiccup sighed.

District 12 is pretty much the end of the line. Beyond that, there's only wilderness. If no one counted the ruins of District 13 that still smolder from the toxic bombs. They show it on television occasionally, just to remind everyone.

"I don't know that," The brunette repeated. "Or why they would leave here." Aster had called the Sandys traitors. Against what? It could only be Berk. But they had everything here. No cause to rebel.

"I'd leave here," Jack blurts out. Then he looks around nervously. It was loud enough to hear above the chimes. He laughs. "I'd go home now if they let me. But you have to admit, the food's prime..." He's covered. If that's all you'd heard it would just sound like the words of a scared Light, not someone contemplating the unquestionable goodness of the Berk. "Still... If you think about it... When you saw his clothes, did you think he came from an elite family if the clothes weren't tatttered?"

Hiccup considered the question and his memory. "... Maybe. Even in the night, the clothing sparkled like gold, even more so than the uniform now." He answered. "why?"

"Well, you see, if someone here has a Dragon, it's either their a politician who needed the body guard or a soldiers-to-be, we learned that in History." Jack shrugged. "So if that was you, and you had a Dragon who couldn't, well, fly... Then that meant the boy was neither."

"And the Dragon was simply his friend. But he couldn't have it if he wasn't a politician or soldier..." Hiccup whispered. Jack nodded, and the brunette realize the boy actual gave him an explanation for the incident, even if it was just speculation. And the incident's mystery has been bothering him for a while. And recalling the memory made Hiccup realize that Dragons really weren't as free as the people from the Districts were. Except that one Nightfury, how lucky. "That's an idea to consider,"

"Hiccup, it's not your fault."

The brunette's head snapped up. "Huh?"

Jack continued. "Even the strongest person ever, no one can help everyone." He told him. "I don't know you long enough, but I have a feeling this has been bothering you for awhile. Thinking of something you might've done to make things better. But you've help others; like me, your family, in your own way. The way that only you can. Like I said, it's what you've done that counted." He looked right into his eyes.

"Why..." Hiccup's brows furrowed. "Why are you so determine to raise my spirits?"

Jack chuckled softly. "Because you don't do it enough. I figured someone has to, and I don't mind being someone." He said. "It's getting chilly. We better go in," he added.

Hiccup grabbed Jack's hoodie sleeve and pulls him back. The albino turned to face him. "Just... I guess I'm done thinking."

"Huh?"

Jack was a very nice person, Hiccup concluded. He pointedly ignored over and over again the rules of the games that there can only be one victor if only to make sure they was no awkwardness or tension between them. No barriers for creating good ties. If he was going to die anyway, he didn't want to be in bad terms with anyone. Especially the one person who'll be with him mostly throughout his last days. He figured it wasn't such a bad thing.

And Jack was the only person whoever saw so much in him.

"About the kiss earlier, we can just forget it and put it behind us." Hiccup smiled. "you probably did it in the heat of the moment, there's no need to be all uptight about it, so I'll drop it if you drop my outburst."

Jack's brows furrowed. "What-I don't understand," He admitted.

"Well obviously you meant nothing by it, we are both guys so I'm sorry I made a big fuss about it. So let's just let bygones be bygones," Hiccup held a hand out. "Sounds good?"

"What makes you think I didn't me-Oh forget it," Jack sighed, letting it drop and taking the outstretch hand, giving a shake. "so we're good?"

"Yeah," Hiccup shrugged. "we're good."

:::::

Jack brought Hiccup to his room first. The brunette gave back the jacket back. "See you in the morning then."

"See you," Jack says, and walked off down the hall.

When Hiccup opened his door, the sunny-blond boy is collecting his dressclothes and boots from where he left them on the floor before his shower. He wanted to apologize for possibly getting him in trouble earlier. But he remembers he wasn't supposed to speak to him unless he was giving him an order.

"Oh, sorry," Hiccup said instead, "I was supposed to get those back to Anna. I'm sorry. Can you take them to her?"

The boy avoids Hiccup's eyes, gives a small nod, and heads out the door.

Hiccup had set out to tell him he was sorry about dinner. But he knew that his apology runs much deeper. That he was ashamed he never tried to help him in the woods. That he let Berk kill the boy's Dragon and mutilate him without lifting a finger.

Just like everyone who was watching the Games.

Hiccup kick off his shoes and climb under the covers in his clothes. The shivering hasn't stopped. Perhaps the boy doesn't even remember me. But he know he did. You don't forget the face of the person who was your last hope. Hiccup pull the covers up over his head as if this will protect him from the sunny-blond boy who can't speak. But Hiccup can feel his eyes staring at him, piercing through walls and doors and bedding. Toothless picked the right time to cuddle up next to him as a dark thought crosses Hiccup's mind. The brunette hugged his loyal companion.

_I wonder if he'll enjoy watching me die._


	6. The Training Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously:  
> "Oh, sorry," Hiccup said instead, "I was supposed to get those back to Anna. I'm sorry. Can you take them to her?"
> 
> The boy avoids Hiccup's eyes, gives a small nod, and heads out the door.
> 
> Hiccup had set out to tell him he was sorry about dinner. But he knew that his apology runs much deeper. That he was ashamed he never tried to help him in the woods. That he let Berk kill the boy's Dragon and mutilate him without lifting a finger.
> 
> Just like everyone who was watching the Games.
> 
> Hiccup kick off his shoes and climb under the covers in his clothes. The shivering hasn't stopped. Perhaps the boy doesn't even remember me. But he know he did. You don't forget the face of the person who was your last hope. Hiccup pull the covers up over his head as if this will protect him from the sunny-blond boy who can't speak. But Hiccup can feel his eyes staring at him, piercing through walls and doors and bedding. Toothless picked the right time to cuddle up next to him as a dark thought crosses Hiccup's mind. The brunette hugged his loyal companion.
> 
> I wonder if he'll enjoy watching me die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Calhoun (Wreck-it-Ralph) - Atala
> 
> Vanellope (Wreck-it-Ralph) - Rue

** The Training Begins **

Jack's slumbers are filled with disturbing dreams. Hiccup's tongue being cut in replacement for the sunny-blond Sandys because damn the brunette felt guilty enough to take his place, gory images from earlier Nightmare Games, with Mrs. Overland withdrawn and unreachable, with Emma being emaciated and terrified. The albino bolts up screaming for his father to run as the mine explodes into a million deadly bits of light than turned to the Dawn that is breaking through the windows as his eyes opened widely. Berk has a misty, haunted air. Jack's head aches and he must have bitten into the side of his cheek in the night. His tongue probes the ragged flesh and he tasted blood.

Slowly, he dragged himself out of bed and into the shower. Jack arbitrarily punches buttons on the control board and end up hopping from foot to foot as alternating jets of icy cold and steaming hot water assaults him. Then he's deluged in lemony foam that he has to scrape off with a heavy bristled brush.

When he's dried and moisturized with lotion, the Overland boy finds an outfit has been left for him at the front of the closet. Tight brown pants, a long-sleeved blue burgundy hooded-tunic, and leather shoes. This is the first time since the morning of the reaping that he resembled himself. No ice-imitation-gel on his hair and freezing costumes, no solid ice on his person. Just Jack. Looking like he could be headed for the woods. It calmed him.

Aster didn't give them an exact time to meet for breakfast and no one has contacted him this morning, but Jack is hungry so he headed down to the dining room, hoping there will be food. He was not disappointed. While the table is empty, a long board off to the side has been laid with at least twenty dishes. A young woman, a Sandys, stands at attention by the spread. When Jack asked if he can serve himself, she nods assent. Jack wasn't comfortable around Sandys after hearing Hiccup's story. He loaded a plate with eggs, sausages, batter cakes covered in thick orange preserves, slices of pale purple melon. As the albino gorges himself, he watches the sun rise over Berk. He had a second plate of hot grain smothered in beef stew. Finally, Jack filled a plate with rolls and sit at the table, breaking oil bits and dipping them into eggnog, the way he did on the train.

His mind wanders to his mother and Emma. They must be up. Mrs. Overland getting their breakfast of mush. Emma milking her goat before school. Just two mornings ago, he had been home and had nothing to do with Hamish Haddock, not even a little to call him by his nickname. _Can that be right? Yes, just two._ And how it seemed normal to him so quickly. What did they say last night about his icy debut at the Games? Did it give them hope, or simply add to their terror when they saw the reality of twenty-four Lights circled together, knowing only one could live?

Aster and Hiccup comes in, bid Jack good morning, and fill their plates. Toothless was still sleeping so the brunette left him in the room, intending to have someone bring the cat food later. It makes Jack somewhat giddy that Hiccup is wearing exactly the same outfit he was except it was green. But then this takes him back to Elsa, and the talk they had last night when he was returning to his room...

:::::

_Jack was surprise to find Elsa by his room, looking serious. He approached her easily though, the stylist had a charm that the albino found appealing. Like they could really relate to each other._

_"Hey Elsa," He greeted. "what's up? Weren't you 'adults' talking?"_

_Elsa placed her hands together between her torso, fingers intertwined. "Yes, but I wanted to talk to you as well, about..." She bit her lip. "...concerning matters,"_

_"My interview outfit?" Jack asked and frowned. "no more ice please."_

_That got her to smile a bit. "I'll see what I can do, but no, not that." she said. Then got straight to the point. "Do you like Hiccup in a romantic way?"_

_Jack blinked rapidly, blushing. But why was someone he just met asking him such a personal question without being reserved?_

_"I'm afraid that I'll have to take that as a yes,"_

_Jack raised a brow. "Why? Is it wrong, are you disgusted?" He pursed his lips. "wanna resign as my stylist?"_

_"Of course not. I became District Twelve's stylist because I'm tired of watching their stylists not giving them much of an edge, because the District was always looked down upon for being most unassuming," Elsa replied. "I wouldn't do that for some reason like that. Actually, you'll be surprise how boys love is trending these days."_

_Jack cocked his head but was afraid to ask more about that last part she said. "Then what is it?" He questioned._

_"It's your mentor," The silver blond sighed. "he has an inkling of your feelings. I think he has an intention of using it as your strategy."_

_"Strategy? How does that give any of us an edge?"_

_"I'm not entirely sure what goes on his head, but whatever it is, it's playing on emotions. Eitherway, I just want to express my condolences."_

_Jack frowned. "Is this about the Sole Victor rule?"_

_"Yes, whether you win or you lose, there's going to be a loss on your part no matter what." She sighed. "If only things could be different. I never liked the Nightmare Games. It must be hard for you people in Districts, forever living in fear."_

_"Then why did you do it?"_

_"Do what?"_

_"Anna said it was your idea about the hand holding bit."_

_"Yes, but that was before I knew. My only thought was that either one of you shouldn't fall, especially Hiccup. He has clumsy issues, so my sister says." Elsa smiled coyly. "but I guess that backfired."_

_"Huh? No, it didn't. We stayed on, neither of us fell."_

_Elsa chuckled. "Well, then I guess you didn't catch the gleam in his eyes when the camera came focused on you two. Good night, Jack." She walked down the hall, leaving the albino utterly confused._

:::::

Even now, Jack didn't understand. His eyes were focused on Hiccup that moment last night the entire time, but he didn't see a gleam whatever that is. Still, Elsa has proven reliable so far, and Jack trusted her. He was glad she was on his team, after last night's triumph. He was gonna need her level-head here on out.

Plus, it was great he had someone to confide to when it came to his feelings about a certain brunette.

~o~

Hiccup was nervous about the training. There will be three weeks in which all the Lights practice together. On the last afternoon, they'll each get a chance to perform in private before the Gamemakers. The thought of meeting the other Lights face-to-face makes him queasy, not that it took a lot for him to feel that. He turns the roll he has just taken from the basket over and over in his hands, but his appetite is gone since he kept replaying his dreams of a certain Sandys killing him, and he couldn't scream because said Sandys cut out his tongue first.

When Aster has finished several platters of carrot stew, he pushes back his plate with a sigh. He takes a egg and paintbrush from his pocket and made to paint. "So, let's get down to business. Training. First off, if you like, I'll coach you separately. Decide now."

"Why would you coach us separately?" Hiccup asked.

Aster shrugged. "Say if you had a bloody secret skill you might not want the other to know about," He said.

Hiccup exchanges a look with Jack. "I don't have any secret skills," he says. "And I already know what yours is, right? I mean, I've eaten enough of your squirrels."

"Yeah, and I know Hiccup's clever, we had this talk down at the train."

So they came to an agreement.

"You can coach us together," Jack told Aster. Hiccup nodded.

"All right, so lets start with what I already know of what you can do," says Aster. "Jack can throw a knife. Hiccup can..." He trailed off as Hiccup took it snarkily from there.

"I can't do anything, unless you count baking bread, smithing axes, and keeping an eye on my brother."

"Sorry, I don't mate. But maybe you can smart-talk someone to kill you faster, now don't interrupt." Aster snapped, ignoring the way Hiccup's expression turned sour. "so as I was saying, do either of you hunt? I know for a fact some does back at District Twelve, I had my fair share in it before I became a victor." He said, and had sense enough to lower his voice in case anyone was listening and they could be arrested for poaching after the Games. Then again, they wouldn't bother Jack or Hiccup about it. One of them, or both, might end up dead after the Games.

"Sure, I can hunt," Jack answered. "With a spear, mostly. Although I turn it to a slingshot whenever I'm catching fowl game."

"And you're good?"

Jack had to think about it. He's been putting food on the table for years. That's no small task. He's not as good as his father was, but Mr. Overland had more practice. Jack did have better aim than Jamie, but the albino had had more practice.

"I'm all right,"

Hiccup interrupts. "He's excellent, my father buys his squirrels. He always comments on how the spearhead never pierces the body, only the head. It's the same with the rabbits he sells the butcher. He can even bring down deer." He listed.

This assessment of my skills from Hiccup takes Jack totally by surprise. First, that he ever noticed. Second, that he's talking Jack up. "You noticed?" Jack asked him in wonder, flattered somewhat by the thought.

"Well, yeah. I kept wondering how easy you make it look. And you need to let him know that," Hiccup pointed out. "If he's going to help you, he has to know what you're capable of. Don't underrate yourself,"

Jack snorted at that. "You're one to talk about underrating. Who's the one who keeps saying he can't do anything?" He mock-insult, there was no heat to it. But it rubbed Hiccup the wrong way.

"Well, that's because it's true." Hiccup said easily enough. "Besides, at least if you win, our District will be showered with food and therefore my brother can trade his games for it and my family won't go hungry."

Jack was really fed up with Hiccup undermining himself. "Oh come on, hunting is not just about throwing spears. And you're a genius in traps and snares. Jamie chatted your father up one time and he told that's how you hunted before Snoutlout came in, with your cat playing body guard. And I know you get more game than I can by just trapping them. I rarely get any game with my snares." He snapped at the brunette. "Tell him that. That's something."

Hiccup scrutinized the albino, replaying his words. "And how would you know that?" He questioned.

"I saw you," Jack said. "one time, I found a well-made snare by the clearing I usually found deers at. And then a bit of a ways off from there, I saw you gathering game from a similar snare, and you already had two sacks full. Did you forget you could do that when it was all hunting and relying on your brother?"

Hiccup pouted at his words. But he thought about it, he actually did well with hunting. Of course, it wasn't the way Stoick wished, real hunting and killing, but he did get something out of it. But then again... "That's because he did it faster. It saves time and daylight, not to mention materials. The materials are supposed to be used for smithing anyway, scavengers can't have defective tools, and there's always the need for repairs."

"You're missing the bloody point, kid." After about a minute of this, Aster snapped. "It's something you can do, something that can keep you alive while you're in there. Got it? There's still that need to eat while inside. There's no push of a button for food in there. And Jack, there's no guarantee there will be spears in the arena, but during your private session with the Gamemakers, show them what you can do. Until then, stay clear of them." He turned back to Hiccup then. "In the Training Center, they will have a computer containing facts you should know about what's what in the arena. I recommend Jack to take a look every now and then, he doesn't seem all that smart."

Jack scolwed. "Hey!"

"But I think you're a fast learner, and have good memory and retention skills. Enough maybe for the last three or two days to go over it. Am I right?" That was directed to the brunette.

Hiccup shrugged. "I guess, unless they were only putting A's in my report cards to make me feel better of myself. I don't have a lot of good qualities, so I'm always depreciating myself." He said.

"No kidding." Jack agreed.

"Still, and these goes for both of you, don't reveal how much you can do in front of the other Lights. You go to group training. Spend the time trying to learn something you don't know. Throw an axe. Swing a mace. Learn to tie a decent knot. Save showing what you're best at until your private sessions. Are we clear?" says Aster. Hiccup and Jack nodded.

"But why not though?" The brunette questioned. "Is it about hiding strengths? Like a secret weapon thing?"

Jack chose to answer that. "There's that. But it's also so you don't get recruited."

"Recruited?"

"Some Lights make groups at times, then kill each other when they're all that's left. You'd know that if you ever took the time to watch the games," Aster took it from there. "it's best not to get mix up in that."

Hiccup frowned. "But we could always refuse if it comes to that," he pointed out.

"Yeah, and they'll target you for the first kill. Or even create an accident before then and kill you off," Jack pointed out. "Happen six times so far."

"And they'll definitely get you, Hiccup, if they knew you were clever enough to remember everything that the computer says. Lights who only focuses on killing, especially for the fun of it, rarely takes time to learn them. This snowflake here seems like an example, for the fun of it or not,"

Jack huffed indignantly. "Seriously, what do you have against me?" He growled.

"So they need someone who does. You'd be one of their options, so watch yourself."

Hiccup didn't know why, but finding that he had something others could want or make use of scared him. It wasn't far from being bullied in school, and that happens to him a lot, but still. He didn't like being used that way. He didn't mind helping people, it made him feel like he had worth. It was something he liked doing. Like Jack's bread. Knowing he kept the boy alive because of that, leading them to be the somewhat unlikely friends they are today felt fulfilling. But being forced to assist someone who could already do so much on their own just said taking advantage, and that's what he hated the most in this world he lived in now. Like when Berk took advantage of the Dragons, then simply took their wings when they found they couldn't make use of them anymore.

Taking away their freedom because of their selfish need for power and dominance.

"One last thing. In public, I want you by each others side every minute," says Aster. Confused, both start to question it, but the doubled pony-tailed man slams his hand on the table. "Every minute! Its not open for discussion! You agreed to do as I said! You will be together, you will appear amiable to each other. Now get out. Meet Tooth at the elevator at ten for training."

:::::

Hiccup got up and stalks back to his room, he lets Jack come in with him. Not that they were following Aster's orders eagerly, but the albino said it was too far, and they were going back out right away in any case for the first session anyway. Toothless was finishing off. Hiccup sat on his bed, Jack going next to him when Toothless came over and scrutinized him. Jack gave it a questioning look in return when the cat threw up the fish, in front of Jack's feet. Hiccup had to laugh.

"What?"

"He's waiting."

"What?"

"He wants to see you eat it."

"What?! You're kidding, why?!"

"I dunno. To see if he can trust you? He made me do it before he let me pet him the first time."

"And why would I need it to trust me?"

"You're stalling."

"No, I'm not. Just don't see the point."

"Coward."

"Am not!"

"Prove it."

Grumbling, Jack picked up the threw up fish and bite a tiny piece off. Toothless narrowed his eyes made and made swallowing gestures. Jack moaned, and swallowed, trying it to keep it down. Hiccup bursted out laughing.

"You actually did it!"

"You made me!"

Toothless approved and finished the fish once more, before jumping unto Jack's lap. Jack eyed it suspicously, finding a cat liking him odd. But he begun to stroke the feline's fur. Hiccup had to admire the scene. Even though neither of the boys minded, acting as friends or not really acting because both felt that they now were, it was strange. Talking up each others strengths, insisting the other take credit for their abilities. Because at some point, they were going to have to knock it off and accept they were to be bitter adversaries. Which Hiccup would prepare to do right now if it wasn't for Aster's instruction that they stick together in training or that Jack was friendly and pointedly ignores the Sole Victor rule. It was Hiccup's own decision, however, to want their good terms to remain. He wouldn't even mind if Jack killed him, if he was gonna get killed anyway. He could ask Jack to do it, it would save him from hating his killer. And he didn't want to leave this world with that feeling. Hatred. He would like to do that thinking of the good left of it, reminiscing the love of his family, Toothless, his friend Heather and yes, Jack, his newest friend... And the albino would definitely let him think of it, and make the death quick if Hiccup ask for it so that he didn't feel a thing.

But he doubted Jack would consent to assisted-suicide. He didn't seem the type.

Hiccup questions the fact that Jack knew much about him even if they only got to talking now. It's weird, how much he's noticed me. Like the attention he's paid to my snaring. And apparently, Hiccup has not been as oblivious to the albino teen as he imagined, either. The spear adept. The accuracy skill. He has kept track of the boy he'd given the bread to.

It's almost ten. Hiccup cleans his teeth, giving Jack the spare toothbrush for him to do the same, and they head out. Toothless, who didn't want to be left behind, rested in Jack's arms this time, with Hiccup battling nervousness from thinking of meeting the other Lights. By the time they meet Tooth Hiccup catches himself biting his nails. He stopped at once.

The actual training rooms are above before roof level of the building. With these elevators, the ride is less than a minute. The doors open into an enormous gymnasium filled with various weapons and obstacle courses. Although it's not yet ten, they were the last ones to arrive. The other Lights are gathered in a tense circle. They each have a cloth square with their district number on it pinned to their shirts. While someone pins the number 12 on Hiccup's back, he does a quick assessment. Jack and he were really the only two dressed alike. Matching hoodies, save the colors.

As soon as they join the circle, the head trainer, a tall, short-cropped blond woman named Calhoun steps up and begins to explain the training schedule. Experts in each skill will remain at their stations. They will be free to travel from area to area as they choose, per their mentors instructions. Some of the stations teach survival skills, others fighting techniques. The Lights are forbidden to engage in any combative exercise with one another, however interaction isn't. So trash-talking was all right. There are assistants on hand if they wanted to practice with a partner.

"If you can't handle a blade without slicing yourself, now's a good time to get to it, ladies. Fear is a four letter word," Calhoun huffed. "If you wanna go pee-pee in your big boys' and girls' slacks keep it to yourself. It's creating battle scars time!"

When Calhoun begins to read down the list of the skill stations, Hiccup's eyes can't help flitting around to the other Lights. Its the first time they've been assembled, on level ground, in simple clothes. His heart sinks. Almost all of the boys and at least half of the girls are bigger than he was, even though many of the Lights have never been fed properly. He wasn't that surprise to find there were a whole lot of them that were more physically advantaged compared to him, but it was still disheartening. It can be seen in their bones, their skin, the hollow look in their eyes. Still, he stands straight, and while he's thin and petite, he was healthy. The breads his family were allowed to eat from their labor, meat and plants from the woods combined with the exertion it took to smith tools and bake daily have given him a healthier body than most of those he sees around him.

The exceptions are the kids from the wealthier districts, the volunteers, the ones who have been fed and trained throughout their lives for this moment. The Lights from 1, 2, and 4 traditionally have this look about them. It's technically against the rules to train Lights before they reach Berk but it happens every year. In District 12, they called them the High Lights, or just the Highs. And most likely, the winner will be one of them.

~o~

Jack felt frustrated. The slight advantage he and Hiccup held coming into the Training Center, his icy entrance last night, seems to vanish in the presence of his competition. The other Lights were jealous of them, but not because they were amazing, because their stylists were. Now Jack sees nothing but contempt in the glances of the High Lights. Each must have fifty to a hundred pounds on Hiccup, at least. They project arrogance and brutality. When Calhoun releases them, they head straight for the deadliest-looking weapons in the gym and handle them with ease.

Jack's thinking that it's lucky he had knowledge in weaponry, at least the basics, and Hiccup's excels in evasiveness and how that gave them an edge when said brunette nudges his arm and Jack jumps, jostling Toothless in his arms. Annoyed, the cat hisses at him. Hiccup is still beside him, per Aster's instructions or just plain anxious, the albino couldn't tell.

"Where would you like to start?"

Jack looked around at the High Lights who are showing off, clearly trying to intimidate the field. Then at the others, the underfed, the incompetent, shakily having their first lessons with a knife or an ax.

"Suppose we tie some knots," Jack suggested.

"Suppose we can," says Hiccup, picking up Toothless.

They cross to an empty station where the trainer seems pleased to have students. Some gets the feeling that the knot-tying class is not the Nightmare games hot spot. When he realizes the two knows something about snares, he shows them a simple, excellent trap that will leave a human competitor dangling by a leg from a tree. They concentrated on this one skill for an hour until both boys have mastered it. The trainer kept suggesting they try it on the cat for testing, but Hiccup wouldn't have it. Then they move on to camouflage. Hiccup genuinely seems to enjoy this station, swirling a combination of mud and clay and berry juices around on his pale skin, weaving disguises from vines and leaves. The trainer who runs the camouflage station is full of enthusiasm at his work. Jack just loved the way the boy's emeralds sparkled in delight and how he was enjoying himself for once.

"I do the cakes," he admits to Jack.

"The cakes?" Jack repeated. He had been watching the boy from District 2 send a spear through a dummy's heart from fifteen yards, the boy with the crippled arm falling off some bars, a short-haired silver blond throwing daggers to humanoid-like targets and the Tiger-faced redhead on the computer, fingers moving across the key pad swiftly, for a moment before Hiccup spoke. "What cakes?"

"At home. The iced ones, for the bakery," The brunette says. "the ones they display in the windows."

Jack knew which he meant. Fancy cakes with flowers and pretty things painted in frosting. They're for birthdays and New Year's Day. When they were in the square, Emma always drags Jack over to admire them, although they'd never be able to afford one. Not like Hiccup could burn them and give it to them that easy either. But There's little enough beauty in District 12, though, so Jack can hardly deny her this.

The albino looks more critically at the design on Hiccup's arm and Toothless's fur who actually wanted his master to try it on him. The alternating pattern of light and dark suggests sunlight falling through the leaves in the woods. And the white coating and black strips that suggested Toothless was a tiger like the ones they only saw in picture books. Impressive. Somehow the whole thing; his skill, those inaccessible cakes, the praise of the camouflage expert, makes Jack love the brunette even more.

"It's awesome."

"If only you could frost someone to death,"

"I wouldn't be surprised if you pulled it off in the arena. Anything could happen. Say the arena had a loads of frosting that were poisonous..." begins Jack.

"Say we move on," Hiccup breaks in.

:::::

So the next few days pass with Hiccup and Jack going quietly from station to station. They did pick up some valuable skills, from starting fires, to knife throwing, to making shelter. Despite Aster's orders to appear mediocre, Hiccup excels in camouflage, and sweep the edible plants test without blinking an eye. They steer clear of spear-archery and the computer though, wanting to save those for the private sessions.

The Gamemakers appeared early on the first day. Twenty or so men and women dressed in deep purple robes. They sit in the elevated stands that surround the gymnasium, sometimes wandering about to watch them, jotting down notes, other times eating at the endless banquet that has been set for them, ignoring the lot of them. But they do seem to be keeping their eyes on the District 12 Lights. Several times Jack looked up to find a Light from District 2 fixated on Hiccup and Toothless, when they were taking a break. Hiccup still felt he was gonna die soon and bonded with his cat when and as much as he can. It made Jack uneasy and irritated, the way he looked at his crush. But it was probably the green monster acting up. The gamemakers consult with the trainers during the meals as well.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served on the same floor that the only time they ever leave the gymnasium was when it was time to hit the sack, the twenty-four Lights eats in a dining room off the gymnasium. Food is arranged on carts around the room and you serve yourself. The High Lights tend to gather rowdily around one table, as if to prove their superiority, that they have no fear of one another and consider the rest beneath notice. Most of the other Lights sit alone, like lost sheep. No one bother them or says a word to Jack or Hiccup till one particular day.

:::::

"Did I ever tell you about the time I was chased by a bear?" Jack asked.

Hiccup shrugged. "No, but it sounds believable," he mused.

"You make that sound like I'm a naughty kid who tells lies all the time."

"I'd believe that, too." Hiccup smirked. "but seriously, what happened?"

Jack tried and animate his face as he recalled the event, a true story, in which he'd foolishly challenged a black bear over the rights to a beehive. Hiccup laughed and asked questions and follow-up questions, snarky remarks here and there. It wasn't even about Aster's instructions anymore. It was just them.

It was the second week of training, while they were taking a shot at knife throwing and Toothless playing with ropes they knotted together, Hiccup whispered to Jack. "I think we have a shadow."

Jack threw his knife, which he's not too bad at actually, if he doesn't have to throw too far, and sees the little girl from District 11 standing back a bit, watching the boys. She's the twelve-year-old, the one who reminded Jack so much of Emma in stature. Up close she looks younger than that, about ten. She has bright, yellow-green, eyes and creamy vanilla white skin and stands tilted up on her toes with her arms slightly extended to her sides, as if ready to take wing at the slightest sound. It's impossible not to think of a bird.

Jack picked up another knife while Hiccup throws. "I think her name's Vanellope," The brunette says softly. "Vanellope Von Schweetz. Even sounds too young to be here."

Jack bit his lip. Vanellope. Emma. Neither of them could tip the scale at seventy pounds soaking wet.

"What can we do about it?" Jack ask his companion, more harshly than intended.

Hiccup sighed. "Nothing to do," he agreed. "Just making conversation."

Now that Jack knows she's there, its hard to ignore the child.

She slips up and joins the boys at different stations. Like Hiccup, she's clever with plants, climbs swiftly, and has good aim. She can hit the target every time with a slingshot. But what is a slingshot against a 220-pound male with a sword?

Jack gets hungry and suggested they stopped for a dinner break. The brunette agreed and they went to the part of the gymanasium where Lights go for eating. As per instruction or not, Jack and Hiccup had been eating together since week one of training, keeping up a friendly conversation during the meals. It's wasn't always easy to find a topic. Talking of home is painful, but they did their best to comfort each other. Talking of the the present unbearable, but it felt normal that they got through it.

Hiccup empties their breadbasket and points out how they have been careful to include types from the districts along with the refined bread of Berk. The seashell loaf tinted white frost from District 4. The crescent moon roll dotted with colorful seeds meant to seem like candy from District 11. Somehow, although its made from the same stuff, it looks a lot more appetizing than the ugly drop biscuits that are the standard fare at District 12.

"And there you have it," says Hiccup, scooping the breads back in the basket. Jack smiled, amused and impressed. But didn't get to comment as the ugly-faced boy from District 2 who was passing by interrupts.

"You certainly know a lot," He smirked. It sends Jack a bad vibe.

Hiccup fidgeted at the attention, keeping Toothless close, for comfort and to make sure he doesn't attack. "Only about bread," he says.

"I doubt that, a gamemaker seemed interested enough," The boy said, leaning over, both hands on the table. "so how about joining our table, cutie?"

Jack and Hiccup's eyes went wide. Firstly, for the comment. Secondly, because something they were avoiding just happened.

 _Recruitment._ Although admittedly, the first comment bothered Jack more.

The brunette managed to find his words, "As tempting as that offer sounds, I'm afraid I have to pass..." he muttered awkwardly.

The boy frowned in disapproval. "And is there a good reason why not? This isn't an offer you can easily reject." He leered.

Hiccup panicked, trying to find a good reason that won't piss the boy. But Jack took it from there, pissed himself. "We're our own team, dude. Just us, no more." He hissed, standing. "so beat it."

The boy glared at Jack, straightening up and stared him down even if he was only an inch taller. Then he turned his attention back to Hiccup. "Not good reason enough, come on, small fry." He grabbed the brunette, Hiccup yelped as he was dragged away, dropping Toothless in the process. Furious, Jack went after them but the boy punched him upon pursuit. There weren't any supervision, just the Lights. The Trainers were at their stations and didn't see.

Hiccup struggled and Toothless pounced, clawing the ugly boy's leg. He cried in pain, and gave his leg a kick, flinging the feline away and into a balcony's edge. Hiccup's eyes widened in terror. "TOOTHLESS!" He kneed the boy in the groin and rushed over searching for his pet, but they were so high up and he can no longer see him.

Getting over the pain, the boy went for recapture. "C'mon, cats land on their feet." He pulled him by the shoulders. Hiccup turned around and shoved hard, tears in his eyes.

"LET GO!" Surprise by the volume, the boy let go but because of Hiccup still shoving, the force made him flip back unto the railings. "Eh?!"

Jack's eyes widened in terror. "NOO!" He ran for the balcony, as if that could change anything. "HICCUP!"

~o~

Hiccup screamed as gravity attacked him. Even though he knew flailing his arms wildly wasn't something that could help his current predicament, he kept doing it anyway. Because seriously, what else can he do? Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wondered why the electric field that Jack told him about when they were in the roof didn't shoot him or Toothless back up and considered maybe the system might be glitching. But the most part of his mind is too busy telling his nerves to send his brain commands to use his vocal chords and scream.

"AHH!"

Hiccup waited for death, if he was in his calm self, he'd gladly accept it than having to go through the Nightmare in the arena. But it never came, because he was caught and was being brought back up. When the brunette got over his initial shock, his eyes widened and he tried catching his breath from all that screaming. When he was in his right mind, he searched for the reason he wasn't falling and wondered why the electric field didn't hurt him like it seemed to hurt Jack.

That's when he realized it wasn't the electric field. And when he lost his breath once more.

A Dragon had him in its paws! And it was flying, which wasn't even the most amazing part. It wasn't just any Dragon, it was a Dragon that gives a whole new meaning to what his District token is.

_It was the Nightfury!_

The next thing Hiccup knew, he was tossed back to the balcony where a crowd had gathered of Lights, Trainers and Gamemakers alike, and something kept him steady when his feet met the ground. But the Nightfury kept flying, to the sky then disappearing to the night. Hiccup's wide eyes never left the creature until it vanished out of his sight completely.

The Berk people of the crowd made a huge fuss over what they saw, the actual Nightfury making its appearance after how many years! How was it possible? Why did it happen when there weren't any other Dragons involve? Is there another attack expected? It was a cause for concern.

Hiccup was getting over his shock and his eyes started to focus once more, and when it did, he was staring back to another pair of eyes. Blue ones. Oh, the one that kept him steady? Yeah, it was Jack.

"HICCUP!" Jack gasped. "ARE YOU OKAY?! Man, dude! The Nightfury! Among all things, a Dragon saved you!"

Hiccup blinked then he went back to reality when he remembered something. He grasped Jack's shoulder, panic in his eyes. "TOOTHLESS?!" He demanded. "Is he...? Did the Nightfury...? Was he also...?"

Jack bit his lip, unsure how to proceed or what to say. "Hiccup..." It was all he managed. But it was enough. Hiccup broke into tears and sobbed against his shoulder. Jack frowned and put his arms around the smaller boy.

The moment was short-lived as the Gamemakers were asking and prodding the smaller boy about what happened. Jack growled at them to leave him alone, but they paid him no heed. Still, no matter what questions they asked, it wasn't like he could answer didn't know why the Dragon saved him, how it got there, or where it even came from. And with District 12 being the backwater District of all, they had to talk his word about it and do speculations later. Afterwards, it got too much, too overwhelming for Hiccup. His best friend was gone.

The boy fainted in Jack's arms.


End file.
